You have reached the 15th week of pregnancy and your excitement is growing. On the one hand, you are counting the days when you will hold your little baby in your arms, and on the other hand, you are curious about its development.

Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yeditepe University Hospitals and IVF Specialist Prof. Dr. Erkut Attar explained the height, size, and development of the 15-week-old baby for you.

How Big is a 15-Week Baby?

The fetus measures 10.1 cm head-to-butt length and weighs 70 grams, now the size of an apple.

Baby Development at 15 Weeks of Pregnancy

The baby draws the amniotic fluid into its lungs and this contributes to the development of the lungs.
 Muscles and bones continue to develop and these stronger structures help the baby to stand more upright. The legs are still short but continue to grow longer. The baby's hearing is also improving and it can hear your heartbeat and the rumbling of your tummy, even muffled. The eyes are also becoming sensitive to light.

Image of a 15-Weeks-Old Baby

1 Question | 1 Answer about Pregnancy

• Are personal care practices dangerous? (For example, hair coloring, manicure, pedicure, applying moisturizing creams, making masks...)

• Dyeing hair and using products containing various chemicals exposes the mother to many agents that can actually have a toxic effect on the body. Although there are not enough proven studies, it is thought that these products can accumulate in the body and damage fetal tissue, which is the most sensitive structure. Therefore, if it is necessary to use these products, it is recommended to use them after the 12th week, when the fetal effect may be less. During activities such as pedicures and manicures, there is the possibility of infections such as hepatitis and HIV, which are transmitted by blood in society. When such infections occur during pregnancy, they negatively affect the fetus and can cause congenital infections or neonatal infections. Laser hair removal applications can be performed during pregnancy. Laser is a technique that uses light energy. The resulting electromagnetic radiation is different from X-rays used in X-rays and cannot travel through tissue. The beam only affects the area where the procedure is performed, for example, the face, and its area of effect is limited to a few millimeters. Therefore, it cannot reach or harm the baby in the womb. However, it is still appropriate to leave such applications after 3-4 months of pregnancy.