First Trimester
Week 1: The sperm and egg have joined to form one cell that contains the genetic blueprint for every detail of your baby's development. The fertilized egg has implanted itself in the uterus and begins to draw nourishment.
Week 2: This is the time when the baby's mother will notice that she's missed menstruation.
Important fact: the medical community uses the mother's last menstrual period to determine length of pregnancy. This means that, at the time of conception, the unborn baby is actually considered two weeks old.
Week 4: The heart has begun to beat, the backbone and muscles are forming. Arms, legs, eyes, and ears have begun to show. The heart is pumping blood through the circulatory system and the placenta is formed.
Week 6: Brain waves can be detected and recorded. The liver is now producing blood cells and the brain controls movement of the baby's muscles and organs. The mother is about to miss her second menstrual cycle and has most likely discovered that she's pregnant.
Week 7: The tiny baby begins to move. Teeth buds have formed in the jaw.
Week 8: Baby is a little over an inch long. Every body part and organ is now developed. The heart has been beating for over a month. The baby's body responds to touch although the mother will not feel the baby move until 18-20 weeks.
Week 12: In the last four weeks, fingerprints have developed in the skin. The uterus has now doubled in size and the baby can squint, swallow, and wrinkle his/her forehead. Movements are becoming more coordinated and the baby now sleeps, awakens, and exercises. The baby is breathing fluid to help develop its respiratory system.
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