Pregnancy at week 27
4-minute read
Your baby
Your baby is growing and maturing fast. Their muscles have developed and their body is well proportioned, but they are still very thin. They will put on a lot of weight in the next month.
Their skin is no longer transparent. It’s red, very wrinkly and is covered in vernix, a waxy coating that protects the skin.
They can open their eyes and are kicking you quite hard now. You and others will be able to feel the kicks by placing a hand on your tummy.
Your baby at 27 weeks
| Length: | 24cm (head to bottom) |
| Weight: | 920g |
Your body
Women usually put on quite a lot of weight from now until 36 weeks. Different women put on weight at different times, so don’t compare yourself to others. Remember, you don’t need to eat for two. Having a healthy diet with good nutrition for you and the baby is more important than the quantity of food you eat.
As your bump grows, you might start to see stretch marks – pink or purple lines that develop on the surface of the skin. These might develop on your tummy, thighs or breasts. The skin can become sensitive and itchy, too.
Stretch marks aren’t harmful and they will fade over time. Not every woman develops stretch marks. The more weight you put on, the more likely you are to get them.
Things to remember
If you haven’t already had one, now is the time to have a whooping cough (pertussis) vaccination. Whooping cough can be a very serious illness for newborn babies. If you are vaccinated, you will transfer your antibodies to the baby, protecting them when they are too young to have a vaccination themselves.
This vaccination is offered free to all pregnant women in Australia through the National Immunisation Program. It’s recommended to have the vaccination between 20 and 32 weeks in each pregnancy.
You can read more about the whooping cough vaccination in the Department of Health’s brochure, Protect your baby from whooping cough.
Read next
Your pregnancy at 28 weeks
Learn about your pregnancy journey and what is happening to you and your baby.
Speak to a maternal child health nurse
Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.
Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: August 2020