You have reached the 16th week of pregnancy and entered the 4th month. Your baby is growing day by day during pregnancy week by week and you are curious about this development and change. How big is a 16-week baby? How does the baby develop in the 16th week of pregnancy?

Yeditepe University Hospitals Gynecology and Obstetrics Department Head and IVF Specialist Prof. Dr. Erkut Attar answered the curious questions.

How Big is a 16-Week Baby?

The baby is 11.6 cm tall and weighs 100 grams, the size of an avocado.

Baby Development at 16 Weeks of Pregnancy

In the 3 weeks following week 16, the baby will gain weight rapidly and double its weight. The placenta, which feeds your baby, is also growing. The neck muscles are getting stronger and the baby can now hold its head more upright. The grasping ability in its hands has also improved and it can hold both hands together. On the baby's scalp, the pattern of the hair that will grow in the future is forming, which means that you can already see where the hair will grow. In addition, an indentation called the filtrum is forming under the nose, giving the typical shape of the upper lip. The circulatory system is fully functioning and the fetal heart pumps 24 liters of blood a day. By the time it is born, this will have increased to 12 times that amount.

Image of a 16-17 Weeks-Old Baby

1 Question, 1 Answer about Pregnancy

• What should expectant mothers be aware of when it comes to drinking caffeinated beverages and drinking wine, i.e. alcohol, once or twice a week?

• Just as important as smoking is the daily intake of caffeine or alcohol. Caffeine is a substance that keeps the body fit and alert and accelerates metabolism. Side effects may include palpitations, nausea, restlessness, and agitation when consumed in excess. In the long term, it has side effects such as a decrease in bone tissue. Excessive consumption of a substance that has such an effect on metabolism during pregnancy cannot be allowed. However, it is permissible to consume 1-2 cups of coffee or light tea per week. Tea also contains theine, a substance similar to caffeine. The fact that the tea is light or the coffee is with milk reduces the effects of caffeine and theine. Theine in tea reduces the body's absorption of iron and can lead to an increase in iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy. Therefore, it may be recommended for patients to drink tea with lemon. The ascorbic acid in lemon, vitamin C, increases iron absorption and reduces the effect of theine. Instead of coffee and tea containing caffeine or theine, herbal teas that relax the stomach and reduce the tension of the mother can be recommended, but not more than 1-2 cups a day. Alcohol is a substance that has harmful effects on developing fetal tissue. It affects the fetus very negatively, especially when consumed in the first months. In this condition called 
  fetal alcohol syndrome, problems such as mental retardation, facial anomalies, and extremity disorders occur. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the most common cause of mental retardation in the community that can be prevented by reducing alcohol intake during pregnancy.