At five months of pregnancy (roughly 20 weeks), a fetus looks recognizably human. The face has distinct features, the body is proportioned more like a newborn than the oversized-head shape of earlier weeks, and the entire body is covered in a layer of fine, downy hair. This is also right around the time many parents get their first detailed look via the mid-pregnancy anatomy scan ultrasound.
Size at Five Months
At 20 weeks, a fetus measures roughly 25 centimeters (about 10 inches) from crown to heel, which is close to the length of a banana. Weight is typically around 300 grams, or just over 10 ounces. Before this point, fetuses are usually measured from crown to rump because the legs are curled up tightly; 20 weeks is when crown-to-heel length becomes the standard measurement, reflecting the fact that the legs are now stretching out more often.
Skin, Hair, and Body Covering
The skin at five months is still thin and somewhat translucent, with blood vessels visible beneath it. Two distinctive coatings cover the body at this stage. The first is lanugo, a soft, thin, feathery hair that covers nearly the entire body by week 21. Lanugo helps regulate temperature until the fetus builds up enough body fat to do so on its own, and it also plays a role in growth: the tiny hairs send vibrations to sensory receptors when they move, which stimulates development.
The second coating is vernix caseosa, a waxy, cheese-like white substance that clings to the skin with help from the lanugo. Vernix acts as a waterproof barrier, protecting the fetus’s delicate skin from constant exposure to amniotic fluid, which would otherwise cause damage over months of immersion. Together, these two layers give a five-month fetus a slightly fuzzy, white-coated appearance that looks quite different from a full-term newborn.
Facial Features
By 20 weeks, the face is well-formed. The eyes are in their final position, though the eyelids remain fused shut. The nose, lips, and chin have distinct contours. The scalp hair pattern has been forming since around week 15, and by week 22, eyebrows and hair become visible. Eyelashes develop slightly later, fully forming closer to 26 weeks. On ultrasound, you can often make out the profile clearly: the nose, the curve of the lips, even the chin.
What the Anatomy Scan Shows
Five months is when most pregnant people have their 20-week anatomy scan, and it provides a remarkably detailed picture of the fetus. During this ultrasound, a sonographer takes images and measurements of the heart, brain, spine, kidneys, bladder, stomach, intestines, chest, and lungs. They also examine the arms, legs, hands, fingers, feet, and toes individually, and look closely at the lips, chin, nose, eyes, and face.
Beyond the fetus itself, the technician checks the fetal heart rate, examines blood flow through the umbilical cord, notes the position of the placenta, and measures the amount of amniotic fluid. This scan is the most comprehensive ultrasound of the entire pregnancy, and it’s one of the first times parents can see their baby in recognizable detail, sometimes catching the fetus mid-yawn, mid-stretch, or with a hand near the face.
Movement You Can Feel
Five months is a milestone for movement. Quickening, the first time a pregnant person feels the fetus move, typically happens between 16 and 20 weeks. The sensations are subtle at first. People describe them as fluttering like a butterfly, tiny bubbles popping, light tapping or pulses, or small rolls and tumbles. These movements are usually felt low in the belly, near the pubic bone. The fetus is still small enough that many movements go unnoticed, especially for first-time pregnancies where the sensation is unfamiliar.
The fetus at this stage is active, cycling between periods of movement and rest. It stretches, flexes its arms and legs, and changes position frequently. These movements help build muscle and joint development.
Sensory and Digestive Development
Hearing begins around 20 weeks. The fetus can start to detect sounds, though the amniotic fluid and surrounding tissues muffle most input, meaning primarily low-frequency sounds get through. A parent’s voice, music with a heavy bass line, or loud environmental noise are the kinds of sounds most likely to reach the fetus at this stage.
The digestive system is also practicing. The fetus regularly swallows amniotic fluid, which passes through the intestines. As the water portion gets absorbed, a dark, sticky, tar-like substance called meconium builds up in the large intestine. Meconium is made of water, cells, mucus, hair, and other materials the fetus swallows. This substance accumulates throughout the rest of the pregnancy and becomes the baby’s very first bowel movement after birth.
Body Proportions and Limbs
By five months, body proportions have shifted significantly from the early weeks, when the head accounted for nearly half the body’s total length. The limbs are now longer and more proportional. Fingers and toes are fully separated and distinct, and tiny fingernails are forming. The arms and legs are long enough that the fetus can bring its hands to its face, a position commonly captured on ultrasound. The body still looks lean, though, with very little fat under the skin. Most of the fat accumulation that gives newborns their round, plump appearance happens in the third trimester.