Week 22: Eyelids and Eyebrows
Your baby now looks like a tiny newborn — complete with eyebrows, eyelids, and even tiny lips. The eyes have formed but the iris still lacks color.
Medically reviewed by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN
Nursing Informaticist · United States Navy Nurse Corps · Last reviewed
Your baby is the size of a...
🫒 Papaya!
👶 Baby Development
- ✓Baby looks like a tiny newborn with defined features
- ✓Eyebrows and eyelids are visible
- ✓Lips are becoming more distinct
- ✓Grip is strong — baby can grab the umbilical cord
- ✓Inner ear is developed — baby has sense of balance
- ✓Lungs are developing surfactant (needed for breathing)
💊 Common Symptoms
- •Linea nigra (dark line on belly) more visible
- •Stretch marks continuing to develop
- •Increased vaginal discharge
- •Swollen or bleeding gums
- •Occasional Braxton Hicks contractions
- •Difficulty finding comfortable sleeping positions
🩺Clinical Context — From a Nurse's View
Week 22 is when the practical floor of fetal viability sits — meaning if a baby were born now, neonatology can attempt resuscitation in some cases, with survival rates around 10-30% and significant morbidity in survivors. Twenty-three weeks bumps survival to 30-50%, and 24 weeks (the traditional 'viability' marker) climbs to 60-80% in good NICUs. This is why your provider takes any sign of preterm labor extremely seriously from this point forward. Preterm labor signs: regular contractions more than 4-6 per hour, low back pain that comes and goes rhythmically, pelvic pressure that feels like the baby is dropping, increased or watery discharge, or any bleeding. Cervical length checks via transvaginal ultrasound around 22-24 weeks identify those at higher risk; a short cervix (<25 mm) sometimes warrants progesterone or cerclage. The lungs are now developing surfactant, the substance that keeps alveoli from collapsing — a big chunk of NICU outcome is whether surfactant production is adequate.
Written by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN — Emergency Department nurse, US Navy Nurse Corps officer.
🚨 When to Call (or Go to the ER)
- !Regular contractions more than 4-6 per hour — call immediately
- !Any leak of fluid from the vagina — call (rule out PROM)
- !Bleeding — call
- !Pelvic pressure that feels like the baby is dropping — call
- !Decreased movement after a full feeding pattern day — call
✅ Normal — Even If It Feels Worrying
- ✓Visible linea nigra
- ✓Bleeding gums when brushing
- ✓Difficulty finding comfortable sleep position
- ✓Vivid dreams
✅ To-Do This Week
- Buy a body pillow if you haven't already
- Start finalizing nursery furniture choices
- Begin washing baby clothes in gentle detergent
- Schedule the glucose tolerance test (24-28 weeks)
- Invest in comfortable shoes with good arch support
- Consider prenatal massage for aches and pains
🩺 Questions for Your Doctor
- ?Is the linea nigra permanent?
- ?Should I be concerned about gum bleeding?
- ?How is the baby's lung development?
- ?What is the glucose tolerance test like?
- ?Is it safe to get a prenatal massage?
- ?How many weeks before the baby would be viable if born early?
📚 References
- [1]ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 234: Prediction and Prevention of Spontaneous Preterm Birth. Obstet Gynecol. 2021;138(2):e65-e90.
- [2]ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 222: Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia. Obstet Gynecol. 2020;135(6):e237-e260.
Editorial review: Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN. Last reviewed: see footer.
Your baby is the size of a...