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Week 2
At conception, the sperm joins with ovum (egg) to form one cell that contains
the complex genetic blueprint for every detail of human development. At this
point the child's sex, hair and eye color, height, and skin tone are already
mapped out.
Week 4
The baby's heart has been beating for one week already. The beginning of the
spinal cord, muscles, and nerves become apparent. Arms, legs, eyes and ears can
now be seen. The amniotic sac and placenta are in place and providing
nourishment to the child.
Week 6
This is a critical period of growth for the baby. The eyes begin to form and
the extremities can be seen in much more detail, including all 10 fingers. The
child is now moving and responds to touch.
Week 10
At the 9th week the baby is now in the fetal state of development. The
baby is able to grasp
and can suck his/her thumb. Fingerprints are already visible in the skin. In
addition to being able to sense touch, the child can now feel pain. At week 12,
the baby sleeps and awakens.
Week 14
The baby is growing very rapidly at this point. The mother can now feel
energetic movement, and hair is visible on the scalp. Sex differentiation
becomes apparent by week 13.
Week 18
The ears are now functioning and the baby can hear his mother's voice. By the
end of the 4th month, the baby weighs a half pound or more and is eight to ten
inches in length.
Week 22
The head of the child now accounts for 1/3 of his/her length. If this baby were
to be born prematurely, he/she has a good chance of survival with sufficient
medical care.
Week 26
The tongue has formed taste buds and the eyes have fully developed. The baby's
lungs are completely functioning and he can even cry.
Week 30
Vision, hearing, taste, and touch are all being used now. The baby opens and
closes her eyes and looks around. Research shows that the child can recognize
her mother's voice.
Week 40
The baby is now ready for life outside of his mother's womb. By this time, the
infant usually weighs six to nine pounds and his heart is pumping 300 gallons of
blood per day.
Sources
-
A Child Is Born (also in
paperback) (book), Lennart Nilsson, Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1990. Order
from Amazon.com.
- Nine Month Miracle (CD ROM software),
A.D.A.M. Software, Inc.,
1600 RiverEdge Parkway, Suite 800, Atlanta, GA, 30328.
- The First Nine Months of Life, (brochure), Focus on the Family,
Colorado Springs, CO, 1995.
-
Introduction to Child Development
 ,
6th ed., (text book) John Dworetzky, West Publishing Company, San Francisco,
CA, 1996.
- Psychology
Today, (magazine) "Fetal Psychology," Janet L. Hopson, October 1998.
- When You were Formed in Secret, (handbook) Gary Bergel,
Intercessors for America, 1988.
Text courtesy of
www.birthchoice.net.
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