Pregnancy week 15
8 Jan. 2026
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Pregnant in week 15? In this article, you can read all about your pregnancy in week 15. You’ll get information on your baby’s development, changes in your body, and useful tips for this stage of the journey.
At the beginning of the second trimester, the body parts have developed and become so distinct that it is possible to see the gender of the foetus under optimal conditions with an ultrasound. If you do an ultrasound now, the heartbeat is clearly visible, even to the untrained eye.
The baby is going through an intense period of growth and the nervous system has now developed. This intense phase means that the foetus is moving much more and more smoothly than before, but despite its active lifestyle, it will most likely be some time before you can feel the movements.
The body of the foetus has a thin and transparent layer of skin and the ribs, blood vessels and retinas are clearly visible this week. The thin skin now begins to be covered by lanugo hairs, which are very thin, fine hairs that help the baby regulate its body temperature. The lanugo hair is incredibly cool as it follows the pattern of the skin so that it almost looks like small fingerprints all over the body. When the baby is born, the lanugo hair is often only left on the back and shoulders, but this can differ from baby to baby.
The second trimester is often referred to as the, “ghost weeks,” in the vernacular. This is because many pregnant women feel that pregnancy symptoms such as nausea have subsided and that they therefore do not feel the pregnancy as much. It is common to have thoughts like “am I really pregnant?”, but these usually disappear on the day you start feeling foetal movements, if not earlier.
Until then, it’s good if you can try to trust your body instead of all these thoughts that pop up. It’s perfectly normal to feel anxious – as long as it’s manageable! If, however, you feel that your anxiety significantly affects your everyday life and is difficult to manage, it is good to talk to your midwife so that you can get support and security in your feelings.
Your uterus continues to grow and gets bigger, maybe it’s now starting to show that you’re pregnant if it wasn’t visible before? If it is still not visible, it is also completely normal, every woman’s body and pregnancy is unique in its own way.
If you have been pregnant before, your belly may be or feel bigger than the first time. This is often due to the fact that the abdominal muscles have become more stretched and that the uterus becomes more forward-leaning after a subsequent pregnancy. The uterus often grows a little faster during the first half of pregnancy.
Due to the different hormonal changes during pregnancy, many women can get a dark line in the middle of the stomach called the Linea Nigra. The line can look completely different from woman to woman and usually extends from the pubic bone up to the navel, and further towards the ribs or all the way up under the breast. However, not everyone gets this dark line, but if you notice it, it usually fades away after the baby is born. For some it happens relatively quickly, and for some it can take up to a couple of years for the line to disappear completely.
During pregnancy, a general hyperpigmentation occurs, which means that you easily get pigment spots on the face or other places on the skin. This is highly hormonal, but it is wise to be careful in the sun. Stay in the shade and always apply SPF if you want to reduce the risk of pigmentation.
Now that the first trimester is over, fatigue and nausea have hopefully begun to subside, and for some pregnant women, the trimester awaits when many feel at their best. If you are not one of them – hold on! Feeling better awaits, even if it feels far away. Try to remember that every pregnancy is unique and your experience is just that.
Don’t belittle yourself or your well-being by comparing yourself to others who feel better during this period of pregnancy. Only you can sense your body and what you need to do to feel good, and if it’s, for example, large amounts of rest, that’s exactly what you should do.
Everybody is unique and all pregnancies are different, which is why pregnant bellies (and well-being!) differ greatly from woman to woman.
The foetus has an active lifestyle inside the womb and moves as smoothly as a ballet dancer. However, despite this active lifestyle, it is unlikely that your partner will be able to feel any movements this early in the pregnancy. But don’t worry, it’s coming!
