---
title: 'What Changes In Your Body During the Second Trimester?'
slug: second-trimester-body-changes-what-to-expect
lifeStage: pregnancy
category: Wellbeing
medicalReviewer: 'Dr Shree Datta, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist '
reviewerId: 'https://blog.bloume.com/pregnancy/medical-board.md#dr-shree-datta'
lastUpdated: '2026-07-21'
primarySource: 'Week-by-week guide to pregnancy'
---

# What Changes In Your Body During the Second Trimester?

The second trimester runs from around week 13 to week 27 or 28 of pregnancy. For many, the nausea and deep tiredness of the first trimester start to ease, and energy can come back. Your bump becomes visible, your body keeps shifting hormonally and physically, and you may feel your baby move for the first time. This article walks through the second trimester body changes you can expect, including round ligament pain, and which symptoms are common and which need prompt attention.

**Q: When exactly does the second trimester start and end?**
A: Your second trimester starts at week 13. UK guidance varies a little on the end point, with some sources placing it at week 27 and others at week 28. If you are not sure which week you are in, your midwife can confirm it from your dating scan.

If the first trimester left you queasy, exhausted, and living in a body that felt unfamiliar, the second often brings a shift. The relentless tiredness can lift, the queasiness may ease, and your bump becomes something you can see and feel. The second trimester runs from around week 13 to week 27 or 28 of pregnancy, and some of its body changes are among the biggest of the whole pregnancy. Knowing what to expect can help you make sense of what your body is doing.

## Oestrogen, energy, and feeling like yourself again

The deep tiredness that ran through your first trimester often eases as your body settles into pregnancy. Your energy can come back, and you may find this the most comfortable stretch of the whole nine months. It does not go this way for everyone though. You might keep feeling drained or unwell, and that sits within the normal range too.

You may notice your skin looking flushed or brighter, the so-called 'pregnancy glow'. That comes largely from rising oestrogen and the extra blood flow moving through your body. The shift can go the other way too, leaving your skin oilier or bringing pigmentation changes. Both are normal responses to the hormones of pregnancy.

## Your growing bump and skin changes

As your uterus grows, your bump becomes more visible through the second trimester. Your skin stretches to make room, and that can bring stretch marks across your tummy, thighs, or breasts. The areas growing fastest can feel itchy as the skin pulls.

> **WARNING**: Mild itchiness over stretching skin is common. Intense or persistent itching, especially on the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet, can sometimes point to obstetric cholestasis (intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy), a liver condition that needs checking. Call your midwife or GP if you notice itching like this.

## Round ligament pain: a common second trimester discomfort

You may feel a sharp twinge or a dull ache low down on one or both sides of your belly or groin. It often catches you off guard when you change position, cough, sneeze, or roll over in bed. This is round ligament pain, one of the most common things to come up in the second trimester.

The reason is simple. The round ligaments that hold your uterus in place are stretching as it grows. Sudden movements can set off a brief spasm, and the pain usually passes quickly.

A few things can take the edge off. Moving more slowly when you change position helps, as does supporting your bump when you cough or sneeze. Gentle stretching and sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees can ease it too.

> **WARNING**: Round ligament pain is common and usually brief. If your tummy pain is severe, sticks around, does not settle with rest, or comes with bleeding, fever, or anything else that worries you, call your midwife or maternity unit promptly rather than waiting.

## Other physical changes worth knowing about

You might also run into headaches, nosebleeds, or bleeding gums around this time. These are common and often come down to the hormonal shifts and the extra blood your body is moving to support your pregnancy.

> **WARNING**: Mild, occasional headaches are common in pregnancy. A severe headache, or one that comes with vision changes, swelling in your face or hands, or pain in your upper tummy, can be a warning sign of pre-eclampsia. Call your midwife or maternity unit straight away if these show up together.

Heartburn, indigestion, and constipation can carry over from the first trimester or turn up for the first time now. They come from the same hormones, plus the growing pressure your uterus puts on the organs around it. If you want to try something from the pharmacy, check with your midwife or pharmacist first, as not everything is suitable in pregnancy.

## Feeling your baby move for the first time

Feeling your baby move for the first time is one of the milestones of this trimester, a moment called quickening. It can feel like a flutter, a light tap, or even a bubble. It usually happens somewhere between 16 and 24 weeks, though the timing varies a lot.

> **WARNING**: Once you start feeling your baby move, get to know their usual pattern. If you notice the movements slow down, stop, or change at all, tell your midwife or maternity unit straight away, at any hour of the day or night. Do not wait for your next appointment.

If anything about your second trimester worries you, whether it is pain, itching, headaches, or changes in your baby's movements, call your midwife, GP, or maternity unit. They are the right people to check what you are feeling.

## Frequently asked questions

**Q: When exactly does the second trimester start and end?**

Your second trimester starts at week 13. UK guidance varies a little on the end point, with some sources placing it at week 27 and others at week 28. If you are not sure which week you are in, your midwife can confirm it from your dating scan.

**Q: Is round ligament pain anything to worry about?**

Round ligament pain is a common, expected part of the second trimester. It comes from the ligaments supporting your uterus stretching as it grows, and usually shows up as a sharp twinge or dull ache on one or both sides of your lower tummy. It tends to be brief and often set off by sudden movement. If your pain is severe, does not ease, or comes with other symptoms like bleeding or fever, call your midwife or maternity unit rather than assuming it is round ligament pain.

**Q: What should you do if you notice a change in your baby's movements?**

Call your midwife or maternity unit straight away. Any slowing, absence, or change in your baby's usual movement pattern should be reported promptly, at any time of day or night. Do not wait for your next appointment, and do not rely on home dopplers or apps to reassure yourself. Your maternity unit will always want to hear from you.

**Q: Is it normal to still feel tired and unwell in the second trimester?**

Yes. The second trimester is often the more comfortable phase, though it does not feel that way for everyone. Your energy might return and the nausea fade, or you might keep feeling significant symptoms. If tiredness or nausea are affecting your daily life, raise it with your midwife at your next appointment.

### Clinical Sources
- [Week-by-week guide to pregnancy](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/)
- [Week-by-week guide to pregnancy](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/)
- [How Will My Body Change in the Second Trimester?](https://lansinoh.co.uk/blogs/pregnancy/body-changes-during-the-second-trimester)
- [Week-by-week guide to pregnancy](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/)
- [Round ligament pain](https://www.nhsfife.org/services/all-services/patient-advice/round-ligament-pain/)
- [Round ligament pain](https://www.nhsfife.org/services/all-services/patient-advice/round-ligament-pain/)
- [Round ligament pain in pregnancy](https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/media/1l5dy01i/physio-round-ligament-pain-in-pregnancy.pdf)
- [Week-by-week guide to pregnancy](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/)
- [Week-by-week guide to pregnancy](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/)
- [16 weeks pregnant guide - Best Start in Life](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/2nd-trimester/week-16/)

---
Reviewed by Dr Shree Datta, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist  | [Medical Board](https://blog.bloume.com/pregnancy/medical-board.md) | July 2026