28 weeks pregnant: kick counts, the growth scan and pre-registration

At 28 weeks pregnant your baby weighs about 1kg and is about 37cm long, KKH says. The lungs are now mature enough to breathe air, so a baby born now has a good chance of survival. You're entering the third trimester, and the Singapore to-do list gets practical: kick counts, a growth scan, and your hospital's paperwork for the delivery. Our third trimester checklist puts it all in order.

Your baby at 28 weeks

• The eyes are completely formed, and your baby can blink.
• Hiccups may show up as small rhythmic jerks in your womb.
• Your baby is about 1kg; from here, weight gain is the main event.

Counting kicks with KKH's chart

By about now, KKH says, the kicks are more regular. That makes them easier to keep track of. Its count-to-ten chart works like this: starting at 9am, put a tick on the chart each time your baby moves, and add up the ticks when the day is over.

Call your doctor immediately if your baby makes fewer than 10 movements a day on two days in a row. Don't wait for your next appointment if movements slow down or stop.

Is it Braxton Hicks or labour?

About 1 in 10 women go into labour early, KKH says, and before 37 weeks it's called preterm labour. Early labour isn't always obvious and can feel like mild period cramps or a backache.

Hospital admin from 28 weeks

NUH runs a pre-registration service from your 28th week. You get the documents for direct admission, so on the day you can skip the admissions counter and go straight to the Delivery Suite. NUH collects a deposit based on the whole estimated bill, usually at the clinic visit after financial counselling, which happens between 28 and 32 weeks.

At KKH, financial counselling and an estimate of your delivery and hospital bill are available at the Admissions Office, Level 1 of the Women's Tower, or online through the Admissions Buddy portal with your Singpass. Admissions Buddy also lets you ask to change your preferred ward type and pay the deposit online.

Private patients can look at delivery packages; our guide to hospital maternity packages compares them, and the delivery cost calculator estimates your bill. Up to $900 of your antenatal costs can be claimed from MediSave after the birth, so keep those bills together.

What's due in Singapore at 28 weeks

When to go to the hospital

Fewer movements than usual, regular or painful tightening, leaking fluid, bleeding, or pre-eclampsia signs such as a severe headache, blurred vision or sudden swelling need the hospital now.

From 22 weeks, KKH asks you to go straight to its Delivery Suite, at Level 2 of the Women's Tower, for water-bag leakage, vaginal bleeding or signs of labour. At NUH, the Delivery Suite is Ward 22, on Level 2 of the Main Building. Booked somewhere else? Go to your own hospital's delivery suite, or call its O&G clinic if you're unsure.

Frequently asked questions

How many kicks should I feel at 28 weeks?

KKH's count-to-ten chart says to call your doctor immediately if your baby makes fewer than 10 movements a day on two days in a row.

Can a baby born at 28 weeks survive?

KKH says the lungs are mature enough to breathe air by 28 weeks, so with care a baby born now has a good chance of survival.

When should I pre-register for delivery?

NUH's pre-registration starts from your 28th week, with financial counselling at 28 to 32 weeks. At KKH, you can get financial counselling at the Admissions Office or on the Admissions Buddy portal.

28 weeks pregnant is how many months?

Seven months. KKH's planner calls week 28 the 7-month mark.

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