Helping Build Families since 1986

Pregnant?

Do you think that you might be pregnant? Facing an unplanned pregnancy is not easy. Our trained consultants are available to take your calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They will listen to your needs, and connect you to a local pregnancy center that offers free pregnancy tests, consultations about all pregnancy options, and many other confidential services.

 

Understand Your Pregnancy

 

During pregnancy, your body goes through many changes. Some common symptoms of early pregnancy include a missed period, nausea, breast tenderness, frequent urination, tiredness, and mood swings.

Most pregnancy tests are very reliable. However, to confirm that you are pregnant, a visit to an appropriate health care provider will be necessary. Most centers listed on this site provide this service for free.

The following definitions and fetal development photos will help you understand more about your pregnancy.

 

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Fetal Development

Day 1:
When conception (fertilization) occurs, the baby's features, including sex, hair and eye color, 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

Pregnancy Definitions

Cervix: The bottom opening to the uterus.

Embryo: Human life at an early development 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.