7 Months Pregnant (Weeks 25-28): Your Third-Trimester Guide

• By week 28 your baby weighs around 1 kg, can open their eyes, hears your voice, and has measurable sleep-wake cycles. Most babies are not yet in their final birth position, and that is normal.
• Your glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for gestational diabetes is usually done between weeks 24 and 28. FOGSI recommends universal screening because GDM is common in Indian pregnancies.
• The Tdap vaccine is recommended in every pregnancy between weeks 27 and 36 to pass whooping-cough antibodies to your baby. Earlier in this window (27-32 weeks) is preferred.
• Start counting your baby's movements daily. Reduced or absent movement is the single most important warning sign and always deserves prompt evaluation.
• Heartburn, back pain, swelling, breathlessness and broken sleep are common now. Sudden severe swelling, headache, vision changes or upper-tummy pain can signal pre-eclampsia and need urgent attention.

Month seven is a period of rapid maturation. Your baby is putting on fat, practising skills they'll need at birth, and becoming far more responsive to the world around them. Sizes and weights below are averages, individual babies vary, and growth is best judged by your own scans and fundal height measurements rather than charts alone.

Week 25 — Your baby weighs roughly 660–700 g and measures about 33–34 cm head-to-heel (think of a cauliflower). The brain is growing rapidly, fine blood vessels are forming in the lungs, the nostrils begin to open, and you may notice more distinct kicks, rolls and even rhythmic hiccups.

Week 26 — About 760–820 g and 35–36 cm. The eyes, fused shut for weeks, begin to open, and your baby may respond to bright light against your tummy. The lungs start producing surfactant, a substance that keeps the air sacs from collapsing after birth. Brain-wave activity becomes measurable, and in boys the testes begin to descend.

Week 27 — Around 870–950 g and 36–37 cm. The brain's cortex is folding into more defined layers, the air sacs (alveoli) continue branching, and hearing is well developed, your baby can now hear and react to your voice, music and household sounds.

Week 28 — About 1–1.1 kg and 37–38 cm (a small brinjal). The eyes open during waking periods and can tell light from dark, the blink reflex appears, and your baby makes rhythmic "breathing" movements with the chest and diaphragm, practice runs, even though no air is moving yet. With high-quality neonatal intensive care, survival after birth at 28 weeks is well over 90%, though a baby born now would still need significant support in the NICU.

Hearing and bonding. Your baby clearly prefers your voice and recognises sounds heard often during pregnancy, partly because your voice reaches them through both the air and the bones of your body. Talking, reading, singing or playing music now builds early auditory memory and supports bonding after birth.

Taste and movement. Flavours from your diet pass into the amniotic fluid your baby swallows, an early introduction to the foods of your family's kitchen. Movements are usually robust at this stage: distinct kicks, punches, rolls and hiccups (rhythmic flutters lasting 5–15 minutes), often with recognisable active and quiet times.

If you're expecting twins or higher-order multiples, development follows a similar timeline, though each baby may grow a little slower and monitoring is more intensive through the third trimester.

As your uterus rises towards your ribcage, third-trimester symptoms become more noticeable. Most are normal and manageable. Below is what to expect and how to ease it, along with the signs that need a doctor.

Bump and weight. Your fundal height (pubic bone to top of uterus) is roughly 25–28 cm now, and weight gain continues at about 0.5 kg a week. Total recommended gain depends on your pre-pregnancy BMI; see our pregnancy weight-gain guidelines for the targets FOGSI and the IOM use.

Heartburn and reflux are common as progesterone relaxes the valve at the top of your stomach and your growing uterus presses upward. Eating smaller, more frequent meals, not lying down for 2–3 hours after eating, and raising the head of your bed all help. Calcium-carbonate antacids (such as Digene or Gelusil) and famotidine are generally considered safe in pregnancy; our guide to heartburn and acid reflux in pregnancy covers safe options in detail.

Back pain affects most people now as your centre of gravity shifts and relaxin loosens your ligaments. Good posture, a pregnancy support belt, warm compresses, prenatal yoga and side-sleeping with a pillow between the knees all help; see back pain in pregnancy. Avoid NSAIDs such as ibuprofen in the third trimester; paracetamol at standard doses is the safer choice for occasional pain.

Swelling (oedema) of the feet and ankles is normal and eased by elevating your legs, avoiding long standing, staying well hydrated and cutting back on salty food, more in our guide to swelling and oedema in pregnancy. Sudden severe swelling, puffiness of the face or around the eyes, or swelling with headache or vision changes can signal Preeclampsia in Pregnancy: High BP, Warning Signs and Care and needs prompt review.

Other common changes include breathlessness as the uterus pushes on the diaphragm, broken sleep from discomfort and frequent urination (our pregnancy insomnia guide has practical strategies), more varicose veins and haemorrhoids, leg cramps and restless legs, increased but normal vaginal discharge, and the first leaking of colostrum from your breasts. Stretch marks and the linea nigra are harmless skin changes of late pregnancy.

Braxton-Hicks contractions — irregular, usually painless tightenings lasting 30–60 seconds — are your uterus practising. Rest and hydration usually settle them. Contractions that come regularly (every 10 minutes or less), grow stronger, or come with bleeding, fluid loss or back pain may mean preterm labour and need urgent assessment.

The physical and mental load of late pregnancy is real, and so is the support you deserve; see the invisible load of motherhood.

Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most important milestones of month seven, usually done between weeks 24 and 28 (earlier if you're at higher risk). GDM is high blood sugar that first appears in pregnancy, when placental hormones increase insulin resistance and the body can't keep up. It is common in Indian pregnancies, which is why FOGSI recommends screening every pregnant woman. Our dedicated guide, gestational diabetes in India, goes deeper into diet and management.

Why it matters. Well-managed GDM has good outcomes, but untreated it raises the risk of pre-eclampsia, caesarean birth, a large baby (macrosomia) with harder delivery, and low blood sugar in the newborn. Around half of women with GDM go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 5–10 years, so follow-up after pregnancy matters too.

How the test is done. In India the usual approach is a single 75 g, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) after an overnight fast, in line with WHO and FOGSI guidance. Blood is drawn fasting, then 1 and 2 hours after the glucose drink. GDM is diagnosed if any one value is high (IADPSG cut-offs: fasting 92 mg/dL, 1-hour 180 mg/dL, 2-hour 153 mg/dL). Some clinics use a two-step test (a 50 g challenge first, then a 100 g, 3-hour OGTT only if it's high), and the DIPSI method uses a non-fasting 75 g load. Ask your provider which they follow, and read our glucose test preparation guide before the day.

On the day you'll fast overnight, give a baseline sample, drink the (very sweet) glucose solution and wait at the lab for repeat draws. The whole thing takes 1–3 hours. Some women feel nauseated; if you vomit, the test usually has to be repeated, so carry a book and stay seated.

If you're diagnosed, most women manage well with diet first, balanced carbohydrates spread across meals, enough protein, and no sugary drinks, plus home glucose monitoring. Typical targets are fasting under 95 mg/dL and 1-hour after meals under 140 mg/dL, though your doctor will set yours. If diet isn't enough, metformin or insulin is added; both are well established and safe in pregnancy. Traditional Indian meals tend to be carbohydrate-heavy, so a dietitian familiar with Indian cooking can help you swap to whole wheat, brown rice and bigger portions of vegetables and dal without losing the foods you love.

The Tdap vaccine, against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough (pertussis), is one of the most valuable shots of pregnancy and is given in month seven or soon after. Our full guide to pregnancy vaccines in India covers the schedule, costs and availability.

Why in pregnancy? Whooping cough is dangerous for newborns, who can develop dangerous pauses in breathing. A baby's own pertussis vaccine starts at 6 weeks and takes several doses to fully protect, leaving the early weeks vulnerable. When you're vaccinated, your antibodies cross the placenta, most efficiently in the third trimester, and shield your baby until their own jabs take effect. Maternal Tdap cuts whooping cough in young infants by around 90%.

When and how often. ACOG, CDC, WHO and FOGSI recommend Tdap between weeks 27 and 36, with weeks 27–32 preferred for the best antibody transfer. It is given in every pregnancy, even if you've had it before, because protection fades and the goal is fresh antibodies for this baby.

In India, the public Universal Immunisation Programme has traditionally offered TT or Td (tetanus and diphtheria, without the pertussis component). FOGSI and the Indian Academy of Pediatrics recommend the fuller Tdap (brands such as Boostrix and Adacel), widely available in private antenatal care for roughly ₹1,500–3,000 a dose. If you're in public-sector care, you can ask about Tdap specifically.

Safety. Tdap has decades of safety data in pregnancy. Side effects are mild, sore arm, low fever, tiredness, settling in a day or two. The only firm contraindication is a previous severe allergic reaction to the vaccine.

Other vaccines. The flu shot is recommended in every pregnancy, and COVID-19 vaccination per current guidance. Live vaccines like MMR and varicella are avoided in pregnancy. It also helps for partners, grandparents and older siblings, the people who'll hold your baby, to be up to date on whooping-cough vaccination (the "cocooning" approach). Keep your baby's own vaccination schedule handy for after birth.

Your baby's movements are the simplest, most reliable sign of their wellbeing, and month seven is when most parents start paying structured attention to them. A consistently active baby is a reassuring baby; a clear drop in movement deserves prompt evaluation.

What's normal. Babies cycle through active and quiet (sleeping) periods, and quiet spells of 20–90 minutes are normal. By 28 weeks most parents know their baby's rhythm, often more active in the evening, or when you're resting. Rhythmic flutters lasting 5–15 minutes are usually hiccups, which are harmless.

How to count kicks. During your baby's active time (often after a meal), lie comfortably on your side, focus, and count movements. You're aiming to feel at least 10 movements within 2 hours, most babies get there much faster. Many providers suggest counting daily at a consistent time from about 26–28 weeks; ask which protocol yours prefers.

When to act. If you feel no movement when you'd usually feel some, or markedly less than your baby's normal, first eat or drink something cold and lie down to focus for up to 2 hours. If you still haven't felt 10 movements, contact your provider the same day, don't wait until morning. They will check the baby with a non-stress test or biophysical profile. Most evaluations are reassuring, and that's exactly the point: it is always better to check.

Reduced movement is never an overreaction to report, and your own instinct that "something is different" is taken seriously even without a measurable change. Late in pregnancy movements may feel different (more focused pushes, less rolling) as space tightens, but a clear, sustained drop, or no movement at all, always warrants a call.

Antenatal visits become more frequent now, typically every 2–4 weeks at this stage, then every 2–3 weeks through the rest of the third trimester and weekly in the final month. Higher-risk pregnancies (GDM, high BP, twins, advanced age, previous complications) are seen more often.

At each visit your team usually checks:

• Blood pressure — to catch pre-eclampsia, which often shows up now (140/90 mmHg or above needs review).
• Weight and fundal height — fundal height in cm roughly matches your weeks; a big mismatch may prompt a growth scan.
• Fetal heartbeat — normally 110–160 bpm.
• Urine dipstick — for protein, sugar and signs of urinary infection.
• A talk about movements and any new symptoms.

• Reduced or absent baby movements, after trying to rouse the baby and counting
• Vaginal bleeding, or a gush or steady leak of watery fluid (possible waters breaking)
• Regular contractions every 10 minutes or less that grow stronger before 37 weeks
• Severe or persistent headache, or vision changes (blurring, spots, flashing lights)
• Sudden severe swelling, especially of the face or around the eyes
• Severe pain in the upper tummy, under the ribs
• Fever above 38°C, or burning and pain when passing urine
• Sudden severe breathlessness, chest pain, or a racing heartbeat at rest
• Severe vomiting that stops you keeping fluids down
• A strong feeling that something is simply not right

Month seven carries deep cultural meaning across India, and the celebrations and traditions of this stage are part of the experience too.

Godh Bharai ("filling the lap") is the best-known baby-shower-like ceremony, held in the seventh or eighth month. Family and friends gather, the mother-to-be is dressed specially, her lap is filled with fruit, sweets and gifts symbolising abundance, and elders bless her. Beyond celebration, it surrounds her with support during a demanding stretch.

Regional ceremonies include Seemantham / Seemantonnayanam in Tamil and other South Indian Hindu families, Valaikappu with its gift of bangles (whose sound is believed to soothe the baby), Shaadh in Bengali tradition, Dohale Jevan in Maharashtra, and Garbhini customs in Telugu families. Many Muslim, Christian and Sikh families mark the occasion in their own ways, some during pregnancy, some after birth.

Food traditions. Many households emphasise ghee, milk and dairy, dry fruits like almonds and dates, and warming spices. Some advise avoiding raw or unripe papaya, which contains latex linked to uterine contractions (ripe papaya is generally fine in moderation). These customs work best alongside, not instead of, clinical nutrition advice; our Indian superfoods in pregnancy guide bridges the two. If you have GDM, a dietitian can adapt traditional meals without sacrificing tradition.

Iron and anaemia. Iron-deficiency anaemia in pregnancy affects a large share of Indian women, so iron supplementation is standard, alongside iron-rich foods (dal, dark greens, jaggery, dates, eggs and meat if you eat them) paired with vitamin-C foods for absorption.

Family and work. Many families plan for the mother to spend late pregnancy at her natal home, or for in-laws to help. The relationship dynamics this involves are real, and building your village thoughtfully helps. For working women, the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act 2017 provides 26 weeks of paid leave in eligible establishments; our guide to workplace pregnancy rights explains your entitlements and timing.

Mental health. Anxiety and low mood can appear in pregnancy, not just afterwards, and they are common and treatable. Support is available through NIMHANS perinatal services, apps and helplines such as iCall (9152987821) and Vandrevala (1860-2662-345); see pregnancy anxiety vs depression. Reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness.

• ACOG — Maternal Immunization (Tdap in pregnancy)
• WHO — Diagnostic criteria and classification of hyperglycaemia first detected in pregnancy
• FOGSI — Good Clinical Practice Recommendations on screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus
• NHS — Your baby's movements in pregnancy
• CDC — Whooping cough (pertussis) vaccination in pregnancy
• Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (India) — Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017