Prenatal Development

Pregnancy Center of Southern Maryland
'A Solution of Compassion'

The development of a baby from conception to birth truly is a miracle! In recent years, the advancement of technology has allowed us to have access to fascinating pictures of the tiny, growing child so that we can not only make informed decisions about pregnancy, but also operate on an unborn baby to correct problems in the womb! What follows is an abbreviated, remarkable description of what is happening in the life of your baby during the first nine months, before he or she is born.

From the moment that a sperm and egg unite, a unique human being is created, completed with his or her specific characteristics -- eye and hair color, talents, likes and dislikes. By day 20, foundations of the brain, spinal cord and nervous system are formed. On day 21, the heart begins to beat. During the first month of life, the baby grows to 10,000 times his/her size on the day of conception!

By day 35, fingers can be distinguished on the baby's hands, teeth are forming, and, over the next few weeks, internal and external organs are developing. Brain waves can be recorded, and the central nervous system is functioning. By the 8th week, the baby can suck his or her thumb.

During the 3rd month, the baby sleeps and awakens, exercises energetically, and has fingernails, toenails, and his/her own set of fingerprints. Over the next few weeks, hair will grow on the baby's head and the baby can hear sounds.

By the 7th month, all four senses are functioning and the baby will gain weight in preparation for birth.

As you can see, each life that begins is a unique and wonderful individual from the very beginning, with the potential to impact and change our world!

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