Week 16 of pregnancy: the baby, you, and Québec

Your baby

The second trimester begins

The fetus grows fast and movements become coordinated. The sex can sometimes be seen on ultrasound from these weeks on, but it is the 18-to-22-week ultrasound that examines the anatomy in detail.

You

The trimester you feel better

For many, the second trimester brings more energy and less nausea. The belly rounds out, appetite returns, and it is often the time for plans: sharing the news, setting up the room, choosing prenatal classes. Moderate physical activity is encouraged unless advised otherwise.

Mood matters too

Anxiety and depression can begin during pregnancy, not only after. According to the INSPQ they are treatable, and the sooner the better. If worry or sadness has taken over for more than two weeks, talk to your professional, the CLSC or 811, where Info-Social also answers.

In Québec

Prenatal screening, if you wish

The Québec prenatal screening program estimates the probability of trisomy 21 and other conditions. In its biochemical form it includes a blood draw between 10 and 13 weeks and a second between 14 and 16 weeks; a nuchal translucency ultrasound may be offered between 11 and 13 weeks. Taking part is free for most tests, and it is your choice.

The free Mieux vivre guide

The INSPQ guide From Tiny Tot to Toddler (Mieux vivre avec notre enfant) is given free to expecting parents, often at the CLSC from the twelfth week or during follow-up. It covers pregnancy, birth and the first two years, and is also online. It is the reference Québec nurses use.

A visit every 4 to 6 weeks

According to the Mieux vivre guide, between twelve and thirty weeks follow-up includes a visit every four to six weeks: blood pressure, weight, fundal height, the baby’s heartbeat, your questions. Between visits, 811 answers, and the place of birth in case of bleeding, pain or leaking fluid.

Preventive withdrawal, if your job carries risks

If your job exposes you to hazards for the pregnancy, the CNESST program Pour une maternité sans danger allows reassignment or preventive withdrawal with compensation. The request starts with your health professional, who fills in the certificate: raise it at the first visit.

With Maliah

Your symptoms and questions, ready for the visit

Nausea, sleep, blood pressure taken at the pharmacy, the baby’s movements, questions that come at 3 a.m.: everything is logged in Maliah, by voice or in two taps, and is there at the next appointment. Nothing is interpreted: the app keeps the facts, your professional reads them.

Pregnancy week by week, in the app

In Maliah the pregnancy is followed at its own stage: the current week, appointments, preparation reminders (bag, car seat, birth plan) and your notes, shared with the other parent. The due date calculator gives the starting point.

Related free tools

• Due date calculator
• Hospital bag checklist
• Birth plan
• Contraction timer
• QPIP calculator
• Popular baby names in Québec

Sources : INSPQ : Mieux vivre avec notre enfant de la grossesse à deux ans (guide 2026) · INSPQ, Mieux vivre : Suivi de grossesse · INSPQ, Information périnatale : Rencontres prénatales · INSPQ, Information périnatale : Santé mentale en contexte périnatal · Québec.ca : RQAP, choix du régime et types de prestations · Québec.ca : Programme québécois d’immunisation · Directeur de l’état civil : Déclaration de naissance · Québec.ca : Trouver un service de garde et inscrire mon enfant (Portail d’inscription)

This article is for information; it does not replace advice from a health professional. In Québec, call Info-Santé 811 when in doubt (elsewhere in Canada, your provincial health line). In an emergency, call 911. Updated on October 27, 2026.