Conception:
The moment of conception is the beginning of a new human being. All of the genetic information necessary to build her body and her brain is present at this moment. Nothing will be added to this unique individual from the moment of conception except food and nourishment.

First Month:
In the next four weeks, this tiny yet distinct embryo who has implanted herself on the uterine wall will be developing her own eyes, spinal cord, nervous system, liver and stomach. The heart began beating at 18 days and has set the rhythm of life for this preborn baby.

Six Weeks:
The baby, a plump little being about 1/6 to 1/4 inch long, with short arms and legs, floats in her amniotic sac, well moored by the umbilical cord. She has all the internal organs of an adult in various stages of development.

Two Months:
At eight weeks, she is about an inch long and everything is present that is found in a full-term baby. The completed skeleton begins to change from cartilage to real bone for this “young one” (the Latin translation is “fetus”) and brain waves can now be detected.

Three Months:
The little person floating buoyantly in the amniotic fluid is now about 21/2 inches long. She can make a tiny fist, get hiccups, wake and sleep.

Four Months:
The fourth month is marked by rapid growth with the baby weighing 4 ounces or more. Now external events — especially touch and sound — will reach the baby and provoke reaction.

Five Months:
At 20 weeks, she curls as her mother moves and stretches when her mother rests. She can make an impressively hard fist and her punches are felt plainly by her mother. Some unborn children are calm in the womb, others are more active.

Seven Months:
From the seventh month until term she increases in length from 10 to 20 inches and nearly triples in weight. She experiences the four senses of vision, hearing, taste and touch. This little person now has only to await the miracle of birth.

Reference: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, www.mayoclinic.com