Week 22 is not a milestone week, which is its own kind of relief. The complaints are piles and stretch marks, and both are common and neither is dangerous. Inside, lungs are practising and taste buds are forming.

Your body this week

Stretch marks appear as lines or streaks on the tummy, thighs or breasts. ACOG describes them as one of the most common skin changes of pregnancy, and the NHS notes they usually fade after the birth. Nothing reliably stops them.

Piles — swellings in or around the back passage — are the other frequent complaint of this stretch. They can itch, feel sore, or hurt when you poo, and the usual measures are the ones that ease constipation: fibre, fluids and not straining. A pharmacist or midwife can advise on what is used in pregnancy.

The NHS repeats a useful line this week: aches and pains are common and it is hard to know what is serious, so ask. Severe pain or any bleeding is a call to a midwife or GP straight away rather than a wait-and-see.

What you may notice

Tiredness and sleep problems, stretch marks, sore gums, round ligament pains, piles, headaches, backache, nosebleeds, indigestion and heartburn, bloating and constipation, leg cramps, feeling hot, dizziness, swollen hands and feet, urine infections, vaginal infections, and skin and hair changes.

Movements are becoming more definite for most women. Anything that feels like a change from what has become usual for you is worth a call.

Your baby this week

Around week 22, the figure given is about 27.8cm from head to heel — the NHS compares it to a sweet potato. Averages describe a population and never an individual pregnancy.

The lungs are developing and breathing movements are being practised in the womb. Small amounts of amniotic fluid are being swallowed, and what stays in the bowels becomes the dark, sticky first stool passed after birth. Taste buds are forming.

What care usually happens around now

Nothing is routinely scheduled. The whooping cough vaccination window is still open in the UK — from week 16 to week 32 — if it has not happened yet.

This is also when many services expect a conversation about wellbeing to start, rather than leaving it to the end. Antenatal timetables differ between countries; if you are unsure when your next appointment should be, ask rather than assume.

This week's tip

Do not strain on the toilet, and put a low stool under your feet. It is an unglamorous tip and it is the one that actually prevents piles getting worse, because straining is the mechanism and posture is what removes the need for it.

When to see a doctor

Contact a midwife or GP for any bleeding, severe pain, a fever, or piles that bleed or are very painful. A headache with vision changes, or sudden swelling, needs care today. Pregnancy warning signs has the list.

Seek care now: Contact your local emergency services or go to your nearest emergency department if you have heavy bleeding, severe or one-sided tummy pain, a severe headache with vision changes, sudden swelling of the face or hands, a fever, fluid leaking from the vagina, chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, or a seizure. Femio cannot assess a pregnancy.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use anything for piles while pregnant?

Ask a pharmacist or midwife rather than picking something off the shelf, and say that you are pregnant. Fibre, fluids and not straining come first regardless.

Will my stretch marks go away?

They usually fade to silver and become much less noticeable, though they rarely disappear. Week 23 covers the next stretch, and week 21 covers the week before.