Prenatal Growth

FIRST TRIMESTER

First Month (Embryonic)

Sperm joins ovum (egg) to form one cell containing complex genetic blueprint for sex, hair and eye color, height, skin tone, etc.

Fertilized egg (or blastocyst) travels down fallopian tube and implants in uterus.

Embryo begins developing very rapidly - by 22 days the heart begins to beat.

By end of the 3rd week the backbone, spinal column and nervous system are developing.

Kidneys, liver and digestive tract are already taking shape.

By the end of the 1st month the embryo is 10,000 times larger than at the blastocyst stage.

The baby has grown to about 1/4 of an inch in length.

Second Month

Head of embryo is almost one half of his or her total size.

Brain tissues grow rapidly, dividing and becoming a miniature brain that is distinctly human.

By 40 days (the 6th week) brain waves can be recorded.

Fingers and feet are beginning to develop

Milk teeth form at 6 1/2 weeks.

Facial features, including ears, nose, lips and tongue, form with clarity.

Eyes form and darken when pigment is produced around day 35.

Eyelids cover the eyes and will soon form a protective seal, reopening during the 7th month.

Near the end of the month the skeleton changes from cartilage to bone.

Forty muscle sets begin to exercise and along with nervous system respond with small movements to touch.

The baby's blood type is often different from his or her mother's.

By eight weeks all body systems are present

Changes from now on will be primarily in size and refinement of body parts already formed.

The baby at this stage is called a fetus, Latin for "offspring" or "young one."

Third Month

The baby grows to a length of more than 2 inches and a weight of one ounce.
At nine weeks fingerprints are evident and never change.
The baby now sleeps, awakens and exercises muscles, energetically turning the head, curling toes and opening and closing his or her mouth.
The palm, when stroked, will make a tight fist.
Fingernails and toenails form, and the baby's sex is now identifiable.
The baby breathes amniotic fluid to help develop and strengthen the respiratory system.
Vocal cords are complete, and at times it appears as if the baby is crying.

FIRST TRIMESTER ABORTION METHODS

SECOND TRIMESTER

Fourth Month

Rapid growth takes place-the baby grows 8-10 inches in length and weighs a 1/2 pound or more.

The mother often begins to show and may feel her baby move.

Bone marrow is forming.

The heart can be plainly heard as it pumps up to 25 quarts of blood each day.

Nutrients in food consumed by the mother are passed to baby via placenta and umbilical cord.

Facial expressions similar to the baby's parents can be identified at this time.

Fine hair begins growing on the head, eyebrows and eyelashes.

The baby learns to grip and suck his or her thumb.

Fifth Month

Half the pregnancy has now passed and this little baby is very active!

Sleeping habits develop.

The mother often feels her baby move and stretch, particularly when she is resting.

Babies at this stage have responded to sounds in frequencies too high and low for adults to hear.

By the end of this month the baby is about 12" long and weighs about 1 pound.

Babies born at this stage of development have survived.

Sixth Month

The baby is up to 14 inches long, weighs about 1-1/2 pounds and can roll over inside the womb.

Oil and sweat glands are functioning.

The baby is covered by a white filmy layer called vernis which protects the delicate skin.

At the end of this month the baby has completed two-thirds of his or her stay in the womb.

The lungs are fairly well-developed. The baby would stand a good chance of survival if born now.

SECOND/THIRD TRIMESTER ABORTION METHODS

THIRD TRIMESTER

Seventh Month

The baby weighs at least 2 pounds.

All four senses are now used.

The eyelids open and close, and eyes look around.

The baby can taste, touch and recognize his or her mother's voice.

Eye teeth are present within the baby's gums.

The little baby's hands develop an even stronger grip.

The baby receives antibodies from the mother providing immunity to a wide variety of diseases.

Eighth Month

The skin begins to thicken with a layer of fat stored beneath for insulation and nourishment.

Antibodies to give immunity against disease continue to be received from the mother.

The baby absorbs a gallon of amniotic fluid per day which is completely replaced every 3 hours.

During this month the baby gains at least 2 pounds, doubling his or her weight, and the mother is probably looking forward to the delivery date!

Ninth Month

By the 9th month, weighing 6 to 9 pounds, the baby can only turn from side to side because of very cramped quarters.

At this point most babies settle into a head-down position to prepare for birth.

About a week before birth, growth stops.

Changes in the mother's hormonal balance signal the onset of labor and birth.

SECOND/THIRD trimester abortion methods

Over the past nine months, one cell has become two hundred million cells, weighing six billion times more than at fertilization, yet containing - in a bit greater detail - the same unique person that came into being at that first moment!

The First Nine Months of Life by Geraldine L. Flanagan and
When You Were Formed in Secret by Gary Bergel.

LifeSite - Just the facts

Visembryo - NOTE: - This site provides a wonderful visual guide of fetal development. However, even though its producers claim to be pro-life, they support embryonic stem cell research.

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