9 weeks pregnant: pregnancy symptoms and your baby’s development  

At 9 weeks pregnant, your second trimester is getting closer, and the first weeks of your pregnancy come to an end. If you’re experiencing any 9 weeks pregnant symptoms, you might feel less than your best. However, the good news is that many pregnant women feel much better and more energised from the second trimester - not long to go now!

Babies at 9 weeks have a lot going on when it comes to their growth and development in the womb. Their internal organs, including their heart, brain, kidneys, lungs and digestive system, continue to develop, and their mouth and tongue have started to form -  your baby even has tiny taste buds¹.

By now, your baby is starting to move around, but it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to feel these movements for a few weeks². If you choose to have a private scan, you might be able to see your baby moving on the screen.

As you near the end of your first trimester, the placenta will start taking responsibility for producing pregnancy hormones, most notably progesterone³.

At 9 weeks pregnant, your baby is approximately the size of a strawberry or cherry and measures approximately 22mm from their head to their bottom¹.

Your baby is starting to look a little more human now as their face starts to take shape and their features are becoming more defined. Their eyes are getting bigger, and, even at 9 weeks pregnant, contain some colour pigment. Your baby’s limbs are growing more daily, and their hands and feet have ‘grooves’ which will soon become their fingers and toes¹.

This week your baby’s genitals start to develop. If you’re eagerly waiting to find out if your baby is a boy or girl, you’ll have to wait a little longer, as it’s still too early to see this on an ultrasound. You’ll usually be able to find this out at your 20-week scan.

At 9 weeks pregnant, the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is also at its highest level, as the amount in your body doubles every few days¹. hCG is a very important hormone, as it stimulates progesterone production, which will help maintain and support a healthy pregnancy⁴.

In addition to the hormonal changes, your breasts are likely to have grown bigger by the time you reach week 9 of your pregnancy. Investing in a supportive maternity bra may help you feel more comfortable.

You might be experiencing a number of 9 weeks pregnant symptoms by now, many of which are due to those hormonal changes and the increase in your hCG levels.

Let’s look at some of the signs of pregnancy at 9 weeks.

How much weight you’ll gain during pregnancy will depend on many things, including your pre-pregnancy weight. It’s difficult to know exactly how much weight you’ll gain, but on average, most women gain between 10kg and 12.5kg (22–28lb)¹⁵.

Most weight gain occurs after week 20 of pregnancy and is due to your rapidly growing baby and your body storing fat in readiness for breastfeeding¹⁵.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet should provide most of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals you and your baby need during pregnancy. However, in addition to that, there are some prenatal vitamins and supplements that healthcare professionals recommend you take. These are¹³:

• Folic acid is an essential prenatal vitamin that helps reduce the risk of spina bifida and supports your baby’s neural tube as it develops into their brain and spinal cord. Pregnant women should take 400 mcg every day. 
• 10 mcg of vitamin D.

The hormonal changes going on in your body can cause you to feel faint from time to time. If this happens to you, try¹⁶:

• Sitting down and resting until the feeling passes.
• Getting up slowly if you’ve been sitting or lying down.
• Sleeping and resting on your side and avoiding sleeping on your back.

It can also help to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.

There’s no way to tell how you’ll feel at 9 weeks pregnant, or at any point in your pregnancy journey. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that the levels of oestrogen and progesterone in your body will be high at this point in your pregnancy, as the blood supply to your womb increases¹.

As a result, many women at 9 weeks pregnant describe experiencing a ‘rollercoaster’ of emotions, and switch very quickly between feeling happy and sad.

That all depends on your own experience. For some women, week 9 can bring a whole host of pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness, bloating and fatigue. For others, these might be starting to ease as they head into the second trimester.

Always keep an eye on how you’re feeling and seek support when you need it.

Early miscarriages are those that happen during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The risk of miscarriage decreases as your pregnancy progresses, and one study showed that the risk of pregnancy was 0.5% at 9 weeks, reduced from 9.4% at week 6¹⁷ in the women taking part.

If you have any concerns about how your pregnancy is progresses, be sure to have a chat with your doctor or midwife.

You won’t be routinely offered a 9-week scan during pregnancy, although your first ultrasound (also known as your dating or 12-week scan) can be offered anywhere between 10 and 14 weeks¹⁸.

If you’ve had complications in a previous pregnancy, or if you’re experiencing pain or bleeding, you may be offered an early pregnancy scan to make sure that your pregnancy is progressing as it should¹⁹.