Signal Hill is an advocate for human rights that provides information on life issues, women's health and family support.
"A person's a person, no matter how small."
~ Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who ~
20 Weeks:
3 Months:
4 Months:
5 Months:
6 Months:
9 Months:
Your Growing Baby
During pregnancy, a woman’s body goes through many changes. Some common symptoms of early pregnancy include a missed period, nausea, breast tenderness, frequent urination, tiredness, and mood swings. Centres listed on this site can discuss symptoms with you.
Most pregnancy tests are very reliable. However, to confirm a pregnancy, a woman should visit an appropriate health care provider. Some centres listed on this site provide this service for free. A woman’s doctor may request an ultrasound exam to confirm the status of her pregnancy. This information is important whether a woman is considering abortion or continuing her pregnancy.
See the following definitions and fetal development photos. These will help you understand more about your pregnancy.
Fetal Development
Day 1:
When conception (fertilization) occurs, the baby's features, including sex, and hair and eye colour have already been determined.
9 Weeks LMP:
7 weeks after conception ∼ At this age, the baby's heart has been beating for one month, and fingers and toes are developed.
10 Weeks LMP:
8 weeks after conception ∼ At 10 weeks, the baby hiccups and reacts to loud noises.
16 Weeks LMP:
14 weeks after conception ∼ At 16 weeks, the baby's gender can be determined by ultrasound.
22 Weeks LMP:
20 weeks after conception ∼ At this age, the baby's eyelashes can be seen and the lungs are developing.
National Geographic Images
Pregnancy Definitions
Cervix: The bottom opening to the uterus.
Embryo: Human life at an early developmental stage with its own unique DNA.
Conception: The point at which a male sperm and the female egg join and a new human embryo begins; also called fertilization.
Fetus: A developing unborn baby with an observable human structure.
Full Term Pregnancy: The stage at about 40 weeks after last menstrual period or 38 weeks after conception when the unborn baby is ready for birth.
Last Menstrual Period (LMP): The date when a woman started her last menstrual period before conception. This is the point in time from which the pregnancy and the age of the unborn baby are measured.
Trimester: An interval of three months used to measure three successive stages of pregnancy; first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester.
Uterus: The muscular female organ that contains the developing unborn baby.
