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Fertalization (Zygote)
The egg cell has just been penetrated by the sperm cell and the nucleuses have combined to create one unique cell. A zygote has just been created. -
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First Trimester
The female body will undergo many changes during the first trimester. The hormonal changes affect almost all the parts of the female body. There are many symptoms to pregnancy in the first trimester, these include: tiredness, certain food cravings, weight gain or loss, upset stomach (with or without throwing up), mood swings, and headache. As the mother’s body changes, so will her sleeping and eating habits. These discomforts vary among different females. -
Week Four (Embryo)
The embryo's heart, spinal cord and brain have begun to form.
Its brain and spinal cord have begun to form. The embryo has already implanted itself in the endometrial linning and it has already been a morula, and a blastocyst. -
Week Eight (Embryo)
The embryo weighs less than one-eight of an ounce & is nearly one inch long. The umbilical cord is now visible. Arms and legs grow longer, and fingers, toes, and sex organs have begun to form; as well as all external body structures. The embryo now has a steady heart rythm and the eyes have moved forward on the face. -
Week Twelve (Embryo turns into Fetus)
In week twelve the muscles begin working and the fetus can now make a fist. The fetus is now about three inches long and the external sex organs will now determine if the fetus is a boy or a girl. Eyelids remain closed to protect the developing eyes and they will remain closed until the twenty-eighth week. By this time the head growth will slow down. -
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Second Trimester
The second trimester is much easier than the first trimester. Nausea and fatigue will go away, but there will now be major changes in the female’s body. As the baby develops, the mother’s abdomen will expand. There will also be other physical changes like body aches, stretch marks, swelling in ankles, fingers and face, and tingling hands. -
Week Sixteen (Fetus)
The fetus now weighs almost three ounces and is four to five inches long. Its skin begins to form but it’s so thin that one can nearly see through it. The muscle tissues and bones continue to develop creating a more detailed skeleton. Around this time the fetus’s meconium (material that accumulates in intestines) develops. -
Week Twenty (Fetus)
Half of the pregnancy has now been reached and the fetus now weighs about nine ounces and is about six inches long. It’s activity has increased and so the mother might feel fluttering. Lanugo (fine, downy hair) protects the fetus’s forming skin. The fetus can now scratch itself since the eyebrows, eyelashes, and toenails have formed. It can now hear and swallow. -
Weeks Twenty-Four (Fetus)
The fetus has gained fat and now weighs one and a half pounds and is twelve inches long. If the fetus is a male then its testicles will move from the abdomen to the scrotum. If it’s a female, her ovaries and uterus will now be in place and the lifetime supply of eggs has already been created. Bone marrow begins to make blood cells and lungs have now been created. The fetus sleeps and wakes regularly. It has defined footprints and fingerprints and hair has begun to grow on its head. -
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Third Trimester
In the third trimester the female will experience the same discomforts than in the second. Mothers will tend to feel like they can’t breath properly and they will have to use the bathroom more frequently. In this trimester the baby will “drop” meaning that its head will now face down. Pregnant women may experience shortness of breath and their belly button might stick out. In the last days of the third trimester there will be cramps, which are symptoms of real or false labor. -
Week Thirty-Two (Fetus)
The fetus in gaining weight rapidly and now weighs about four to four and a half pounds and it’s about fifteen to seventeen inches long. Its bones are now fully formed but they remain soft. The fetus will now kick and jam more forcefully. It’s eyes can now open and close as it senses changes in color. The lanugo falls off and the fetus can now store mineral like calcium and iron. The lungs aren’t fully formed yet, but practice “breathing” movements occur. -
Week Thirty-Six (Fetus)
The fetus’s body fat continues to increase and it now has less space to move around which creates forceful movements, stretches, and wiggles. It now weighs about six to six and a half pounds and in sixteen to nineteen inches long. -
Weeks Thirty-Seven to Fourty (Fetus)
The fetus is considered full term by the thirty-seventh week, meaning that the fetus’s organs could now function on their own. As the due date approaches the fetus will turn head down in preparation for the birth. At birth the baby will weigh around six pounds and two ounces to nine pounds and two ounces.
