Day 162 of 280, second trimester
You are 23 weeks and 1 day
From now on, your baby is considered "viable" and would receive life-saving treatment if born early.
118 days until your due date
Week 24 is considered the age of viability, an important milestone, and like many women you may feel relieved to reach it.
If your baby were born before this week, she would be unlikely to survive, and it would be classed as a miscarriage. After 24 weeks, doctors will do everything they can to save the baby, although babies born this early have a higher risk of long-term disability. The further along you are when you give birth, the less likely your baby is to face the problems of prematurity.
Huge advances in science and technology have greatly increased the survival of premature babies.
As a matter of fact
The youngest survivor
The world's youngest surviving premature baby was born in Florida in October 2006 at just 21 weeks and six days.
She weighed only 10 oz (283 g) and measured 9.5 in (24 cm), with feet the size of an adult's fingernail. It was the first time a baby born before 23 weeks had survived.
Good to know
Neonatal intensive care units
Premature or sick newborns get specialized round-the-clock care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The earlier a baby is born, the greater the chance of complications such as infections. A baby born several weeks early may need a level 3 NICU, which may not be at the hospital where she was born.
Your baby may be placed in an incubator with monitors and given oxygen through a ventilator. The equipment can look frightening, but it's there to keep your baby warm, nourished, and getting healthier. Staff will explain what's happening and will want you as involved as possible in your baby's care, encouraging bonding.
Appointments and key dates around now
- Whooping cough vaccineUsually around 20 weeks, best before 32 weeks
Read the full 23 weeks pregnant guide
This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.