The Third Trimester: What to Expect

The third trimester of pregnancy runs from week 28 through week 40, according to MedlinePlus ¹. MedlinePlus says to expect increasing fatigue during this time, because a lot of your body's energy is directed toward supporting a rapidly growing fetus ¹. MedlinePlus says prenatal visits happen every 2 weeks until week 36, and every week after that ¹.

Key takeaways

• MedlinePlus says the third trimester goes from week 28 through week 40 ¹.
• MedlinePlus says you will have a prenatal visit every 2 weeks until week 36, and every week after that ¹.
• MedlinePlus says to expect increasing fatigue during this time ¹.
• MedlinePlus says that if your baby suddenly seems to be moving less, it suggests eating a snack and then lying down for a few minutes, and calling your doctor or midwife if you still do not feel much movement ¹.
• The NHS says the start of labour is called the latent phase, when your cervix becomes soft and thin and starts opening for your baby to be born ².

Urgent: late-pregnancy warning signs

**MedlinePlus says to contact your doctor or midwife in the third trimester if you have any bleeding, increased vaginal discharge with odor, a fever, chills or pain when passing urine, headaches, changes or blind spots in your eyesight, if your waters break, if you start having regular painful contractions, if you notice a decrease in your baby's movement, if you have significant swelling and weight gain, or if you have chest pain or difficulty breathing ¹. In the UK, the NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit urgently if your waters break, you have vaginal bleeding, your baby is moving less than usual, you are less than 37 weeks pregnant and think you might be in labour, any of your contractions last longer than 2 minutes, or you are having 6 or more contractions every 10 minutes ². The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit when you are having regular contractions coming every 5 minutes or more often ². The NHS says to call 999 and ask for an ambulance if you think your baby is coming now and you have a strong urge to push, and to call 111 if you are unable to contact your midwife or maternity unit ².**

**A quick, honest note:** we're not medical professionals - everything here was researched by us from the public sources listed at the bottom of this page, and it isn't professional advice. Read our full note ↓

What happens in the third trimester?

MedlinePlus says, "The third trimester goes from week 28 through week 40" ¹. MedlinePlus says that in the third trimester you will have a prenatal visit every 2 weeks until week 36, and after that you will see your doctor or midwife every week ¹. MedlinePlus says to expect increasing fatigue during this time, because a lot of your body's energy is directed toward supporting a rapidly growing fetus ¹.

What are common third trimester symptoms?

MedlinePlus says to expect increasing fatigue during this time, explaining that "a lot of your body's energy is directed toward supporting a rapidly growing fetus" ¹. MedlinePlus says that if your baby suddenly seems to be moving less, it suggests eating a snack and then lying down for a few minutes, and calling your doctor or midwife if you still do not feel much movement ¹.

How do I know labour is starting?

The NHS says the start of labour is called the latent phase, when your cervix becomes soft and thin, and starts opening for your baby to be born ². The NHS says that when you have a contraction, your womb tightens and then relaxes, and that for some people contractions "may feel like extreme period pains" ². The NHS says there is a plug of mucus in your cervix that comes away just before labour starts, or when in early labour, and it may pass out of your vagina, which is called a "show" ². The NHS adds that it is normal to lose a small amount of blood mixed with mucus, but that if you are losing more blood it may be a sign something is wrong, so to phone your hospital or midwife straight away ². The NHS says it is likely your waters will break during labour, but that it can also happen before labour starts ². The NHS adds to tell your midwife immediately if your waters are smelly or coloured or you are losing blood, and that it is usual to go into labour within 24 hours of the waters breaking, with an induction offered if you do not ².

When should I call my midwife in late pregnancy?

MedlinePlus says to contact your doctor or midwife if you have any bleeding, increased vaginal discharge with odor, a fever, chills or pain when passing urine, headaches, changes or blind spots in your eyesight, if your waters break, if you start having regular painful contractions, if you notice a decrease in your baby's movement, if you have significant swelling and weight gain, or if you have chest pain or difficulty breathing ¹. MedlinePlus says that if your baby suddenly seems to be moving less, it suggests eating a snack and then lying down for a few minutes, and calling your doctor or midwife if you still do not feel much movement ¹. In the UK, the NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit urgently if your waters break, you have vaginal bleeding, your baby is moving less than usual, you are less than 37 weeks pregnant and think you might be in labour, any of your contractions last longer than 2 minutes, or you are having 6 or more contractions every 10 minutes ². The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit when you are having regular contractions coming every 5 minutes or more often ². The NHS says to call 999 and ask for an ambulance if you think your baby is coming now and you have a strong urge to push, and to call 111 if you are unable to contact your midwife or maternity unit ².

Frequently asked questions

What happens in the third trimester?

MedlinePlus says the third trimester goes from week 28 through week 40 ¹. MedlinePlus says you will have a prenatal visit every 2 weeks until week 36, and every week after that ¹.

What are common third trimester symptoms?

MedlinePlus says to expect increasing fatigue during the third trimester, because a lot of your body's energy is directed toward supporting a rapidly growing fetus ¹. MedlinePlus says that if your baby suddenly seems to be moving less, it suggests eating a snack and then lying down for a few minutes, and calling your doctor or midwife if you still do not feel much movement ¹.

How do I know labour is starting?

The NHS says the start of labour is called the latent phase, when your cervix becomes soft and thin, and starts opening for your baby to be born ². The NHS says it is likely your waters will break during labour, but that it can also happen before labour starts ².

When should I call my midwife in late pregnancy?

MedlinePlus says to contact your doctor or midwife if you notice a decrease in your baby's movement ¹. The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit when you are having regular contractions coming every 5 minutes or more often ².

A note from us

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Sources

1. MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000558.htm (retrieved 2026-07-10).
2. NHS (National Health Service, UK). https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/signs-that-labour-has-begun/ (retrieved 2026-07-10).