Pregnant in week 12
Week 12 is a milestone. Your baby is the size of a plum, and the major organs and body structures are now in place and continue to develop. The risk of miscarriage has dropped significantly compared with the first weeks. It is also around this time that the first-trimester scan is offered in the public system, and when many finally share the news with family and friends.
Your baby in week 12
Your baby measures around 5.4 cm and weighs about 40 grams – many times heavier than in week 8. From now on pregnancy is less about forming new organs and more about growing and maturing the ones already there.
Your baby is already moving around, even though you can't feel it yet. The hands can open and close, the bones are starting to harden, and the kidneys produce urine. The intestines are now in place in the abdominal cavity, and the digestive and urinary systems have begun to work.
The facial features become steadily clearer, and the eyes and ears move towards their more permanent positions.
Your body and symptoms in week 12
Your uterus has now grown above the pelvic rim, and many can feel it as a firm bulge just above the pubic bone. Trousers feel tight, even though the bump isn't really visible yet.
For many, nausea and fatigue begin to ease during weeks 12-14, as the placenta gradually takes over hormone production from the corpus luteum – but it is completely normal if the symptoms continue. Your blood volume is also rising to support the pregnancy, and you may experience mild dizziness among other things.
Some experience constipation and heartburn, because the hormonal changes of pregnancy, progesterone among them, affect digestion. Skin can change in either direction – some get the familiar pregnancy glow, while others get oilier or more blemished skin. Headaches are also common in this part of pregnancy.
Good advice for week 12
Remember the nuchal scan
The public nuchal translucency scan is offered between weeks 11+4 and 13+6.
Start drinking more water
Blood volume rises by up to 50% during pregnancy. Two to two and a half litres of fluid a day keeps headaches and constipation at bay.
Tell people when you are ready
There is no rule about week 12. Some share the news early to have support, others wait. Do what feels right for you.
Keep moving gently
Walking, swimming and light strength training are good throughout pregnancy. Avoid contact sports and activities with a risk of falling.
Relevant with us in week 12
This is what we can offer you at this point in your pregnancy.
Frequently asked questions in week 12
Can you tell the sex in week 12?
Not reliably. The genitals have begun to differentiate but still look very similar, and the margin of error is too large. We therefore only perform gender scans from week 15 – with a gender guarantee.
What is the difference between the nuchal scan and NIPT?
The nuchal scan is a risk calculation based on measuring the nuchal fold combined with a blood test. NIPT analyses your baby's own DNA in your bloodstream and is considerably more precise – up to 99.9% for Down syndrome. The two complement each other well.
Will the nausea be gone now?
For many it eases between weeks 12 and 16. Some have it longer, and a small group have it throughout. If you keep vomiting several times a day, talk to your doctor.
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Read on in week 12
Early pregnancy scan in Copenhagen – everything you need to know (2026)
Guide to your first pregnancy
