Day 1: fertilization: all human chromosomes are present; unique human life begins.

Day 6: embryo begins implantation in the uterus.

Day 22: heart begins to beat with the child's own blood, often a different type than the mothers'.

Week 3: By the end of third week the child's backbone spinal column and nervous system are forming.
The liver, kidneys and intestines begin to take shape.

Week 4: By the end of week four the child is ten thousand times larger than the fertilized egg.

Week 5: Eyes, legs, and hands begin to develop.

Week 6: Brain waves are detectable; mouth and lips are present; fingernails are forming.

Week 7: Eyelids, and toes form, nose distinct. The baby is kicking and swimming.

Week 8: Every organ is in place, bones begin to replace cartilage, and fingerprints begin to form. By the
8th week the baby can begin to hear.

Weeks 9 and 10: Teeth begin to form, fingernails develop. The baby can turn his head, and frown. The
baby can hiccup.

Weeks 10 and 11: The baby can "breathe" amniotic fluid and urinate. Week 11 the baby can grasp
objects placed in its hand; all organ systems are functioning. The baby has a skeletal structure, nerves,
and circulation.

Month 3: The baby has all of the parts necessary to experience pain, including nerves, spinal cord, and
thalamus. Vocal cords are complete. The baby can suck its thumb.

Week 14: At this age, the heart pumps several quarts of blood through the body every day.

Week 15: The baby has an adult's taste buds.

Month 4: Bone Marrow is now beginning to form. The heart is pumping 25 quarts of blood a day. By
the end of month 4 the baby will be 8-10 inches in length and will weigh up to half a pound.

Week 17: The baby can have dream (REM) sleep.

Week 19: Babies can routinely be saved at 21 to 22 weeks after fertilization, and sometimes they can be
saved even younger.

Week 20: The earliest stage at which Partial birth abortions are performed. At 20 weeks the baby
recognizes its' mothers voice.

Months 5 and 6: The baby practices breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid into its developing lungs. The
baby will grasp at the umbilical cord when it feels it. Most mothers feel an increase in movement,
kicking, and hiccups from the baby. Oil and sweat glands are now functioning. The baby is now twelve
inches long or more, and weighs up to one and a half pounds.
Months 7 through 9: Eyeteeth are present. The baby opens and closes his eyes. The baby is using four
of the five senses (vision, hearing, taste, and touch.) He knows the difference between waking and
sleeping, and can relate to the moods of the mother. The baby's skin begins to thicken, and a layer of
fat is produced and stored beneath the skin. Antibodies are built up, and the baby's heart begins to
pump 300 gallons of blood per day. Approximately one week before the birth the baby stops growing,
and "drops" usually head down into the pelvic cavity.

Congratulations on becoming pregnant! We are sure you are curious about how your pregnancy
will progress, and how your baby will develop week to week over the next few months. In this slideshow
we will take a look inside the womb to see how a baby develops through the first, second, and third
trimesters.

Step one of conception is when the sperm penetrates the egg to complete the genetic
make-up of a human fetus. At this moment (conception), the sex and genetic make-up of the
fetus begins. About three days later, the fertilized egg cell divides rapidly and then passes
through the Fallopian tube into the uterus, where it attaches to the uterine wall. The attachment
site provides nourishment to the rapidly developing fetus and becomes the placenta.
After 4 weeks, the basic structures of the fetus have begun to develop into separate areas
that will form the head, chest, abdomen, and the organs that are contained within them. Small
buds on the surface will become arms and legs. A home pregnancy test should be positive at this
stage of development (most tests claim positive results one week after a missed period).
At 8 weeks, the fetus is about one-half an inch long (1.1cm). Facial features such as
developing ears, eyelids, and nose tip are present. The limb buds are now clearly arms and legs,
while the fingers and toes are still developing.
At 12 weeks, the fetus has grown to about 2 inches (4.4cm) in length and may begin to
move by itself. The fingers and toes are discernible and the fetal heartbeat may be audible by
Doppler ultrasound. The developing sex organs may be identified by ultrasound techniques.
At 16 weeks, the fetus is about 4 and one-half inches long and resembles an infant; the
eyes blink, the heartbeat is easier to locate, facial features (nose, mouth, chin and ears) are
distinct, and the fingers and toes are clearly developed; the skin on the fingers and toes even have
distinct patterns (fingerprints!). Women should be able to feel the uterus at about 3 inches (6.6
cm) below the belly button; this is the beginning of the "baby bump" (abdominal swelling due to
an expanding uterus) in some women.
At twenty weeks, the developing baby is about 6 inches long (13.2 cm) and may weigh
about 10 ounces. The baby may begin to make movements that the mother can feel at about 19 to
21 weeks; this baby movement is termed "quickening". The baby at this stage of development
can move its facial muscles, yawn, and suck its thumb. The expanding uterus at 20 weeks is felt
at the level of the belly button.
In the US, women that have prenatal care usually have an ultrasound done at 20 weeks to
determine that the placenta is attached normally and that the baby is developing without any
problems. The baby's movements can be seen with Doppler imaging, and usually the sex of the
baby can be determined at this time, so if you want to be surprised about the sex of your baby at
delivery, let your doctor know before the Doppler ultrasound is started!
At 24 weeks, the baby may weigh 1.4 pounds and can respond to sounds. Doppler studies
show the sound response by measuring movement and heartbeat rates. Sometimes the baby will
develop hiccups that the mother can feel! The baby's inner ear canals are developed at 24 weeks,
so researchers speculate the baby can sense its position in the uterus.
At 28 weeks, the baby normally weighs about 2 and one-half pounds and has developed
to the point that if the baby is birthed prematurely for any reason, the chances are good that the
infant will survive, but usually would require a hospital stay. Your doctor may discuss signs of
premature labor and suggest you (and your partner) take classes on what to do at the time of
delivery of your full-term baby.
At 32 weeks, many babies weigh about 4 pounds, and have movements that the mother
can feel. Your doctor may ask you to make notes about the baby's movements and discuss
breastfeeding and other options along with scheduling visits every two weeks until you deliver
the baby. Some women begin to leak a yellowish fluid from their breasts around this time; this is
normal and the fluid is termed colostrum and indicates the breasts are primed to start producing
milk for the new-born baby.
At 36 weeks the baby is about ready to be delivered and has reached an average length of
18.5 inches from head to heel length and weighs about 6 pounds. However, baby weight and
length are quite variable and are influenced by the baby's parental genetics, the baby's sex, and
many other factors. During this time, the baby has begun to rotate itself into the delivery position
of head first into the pelvis. At 37 weeks, the baby has completed development of all organ
systems to a level that should allow it to survive and continue its growth outside the uterus
without any close hospital monitoring that is usually done with premature babies; consequently,
the pregnancy is considered "at term" at 37 weeks and beyond.
Delivery, due or birth date is calculated by estimating a 40 weeks delivery date,
calculated after the first day of the mother's last period. This is an estimated date; the normal
vaginal delivery birth can occur easily between 38 and about 42 weeks and is considered an early
or late term pregnancy. However, most babies are delivered before 42 weeks. Depending on
various circumstances and complications, the doctor may need to induce labor and delivery in
some women, while others may require a surgical delivery (Caesarean section or C-section). For
most people, especially first-time parents, birth of an infant is a life-changing event!
Day 1 – conception takes place

7 days – tiny human implants in mother’s uterus

10 days – mother’s menses stop

18 days – heart begins to beat

21 days – pumps own blood through separate closed circulatory system with own blood type

28 days – eye, ear and respiratory system begin to form

42 days – brain waves recorded, skeleton complete, reflexes present

7 weeks – thumb sucking

8 weeks – all body systems present

9 weeks – squints, swallows, moves tongue, makes fist

11 weeks – spontaneous breathing movements, has fingernails, all body systems working

12 weeks – weighs one ounce

Medical abortion involves the use of drugs or chemicals to end the life of the developing baby during the
early stages of human growth. Currently, 3 chemicals are used to perform a medical abortion:
methotrexate, misoprotol, and mifepristone (RU-486). These chemicals are used in combination
protocols.

Methotrexate is a chemical that prevents the developing baby and placenta from properly using folic
acid. Without the normal use of folic acid, the baby cannot make, repair, or replicate DNA in order to
survive.

Misoprotol (Cytotec) is a chemical that resembles a prostaglandin in its action. It causes very intense
uterine contractions to expel the developing baby and placenta.

Mifepristone (RU-486 / The Abortion Pill/Mifeprex) is a chemical that blocks the action of the hormone
progesterone. Progesterone is needed to continue the pregnancy by maintaining the lining of the
uterus; this is necessary for normal implantation as well as normal placental attachment and
development. RU-486 causes the lining to die and separate from the uterine wall. When this happens,
the baby’s blood supply (carrying nutrients and oxygen) is cut off. Both the placenta and the baby
eventually fall from the uterine wall attachment site.

Surgical Abortion involves the use of a suction or vacuum aspirator to remove the developing fetus from
the uterus. Suction aspiration is the most common 1st trimester technique. It is used to terminate a
pregnancy up to 14 weeks old.

16 weeks – genital organs clearly differentiated, grasps with hands, swims, kicks, turns, somersaults,
(still not felt by the mother.)

18 weeks – vocal cords work – can cry

20 weeks – has hair on head, weighs one pound, 12 inches long

23 weeks – 15% chance of viability outside of womb if birth premature*

Dilation and Evacuation is the most common surgical technique used in the 2nd trimester. Generally, it is
performed when the pregnancy is between 12 – 24 weeks gestational age.Because the developing baby
is bigger at this stage and bone calcification has occurred, forceps are used to empty the uterus. The
cervix must be opened wider (than that required in a D&C or Suction Aspiration) to allow entry of
forceps. Forceps refers to the surgical instrument resembling pliers with sharp teeth used to grab and
pull out body parts/tissue. Intravenous sedation or general anesthesia may be required.

Saline (or other toxic level chemical) injection is performed when a pregnancy is 16 weeks and beyond
(when enough amniotic fluid is present to surround the baby.)

A long needle is inserted through the mother’s abdomen (belly) into the amniotic sac. Amniotic fluid is
removed from the sac and is replaced by a very strong salt solution meant to kill the baby. By the 4th
month of pregnancy, the baby has been drinking and breathing in amniotic fluid to help the organs
develop properly. However, when the salt solution is substituted for the normal amniotic fluid, it causes
severe burning of the baby’s skin, eyes, mouth and lungs. Labor may begin within 24 hours of the saline
injection resulting in the delivery of a badly burned, shriveled, dead baby.

The infant may survive this procedure and be delivered alive. But, may not live for a very long time
thereafter.

24 weeks – 56% of babies survive premature birth

25 weeks – 79% of babies survive premature birth

Dilation and Extraction: a surgical abortion procedure used to terminate a pregnancy after 21 weeks of
gestation. This procedure is also known as D & X, Intact D & X, Intrauterine Cranial Decompression and
Partial Birth Abortion. When this procedure is used on full term sized infants, it is in effect, intentionally
rearranging the baby’s in utero position from head down to feet and legs down for a breech delivery.
The body of the infant, except the head, is pulled through the cervical opening. The doctor makes an
incision (cut) at the base of the skull and inserts a catheter (tube) to suck out the brain, causing the skull
to collapse. The dead body is then removed completely from the uterus.

Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives

Lawrence B. Finer,Guttmacher Institute

Lori F. Frohwirth,Guttmacher Institute

Lindsay A. Dauphinee

Susheela Singh,Guttmacher Institute

Ann M. Moore,Guttmacher Institute

First published online: September 1, 2005

CONTEXT

Understanding women's reasons for having abortions can inform public debate and policy regarding
abortion and unwanted pregnancy. Demographic changes over the last two decades highlight the need
for a reassessment of why women decide to have abortions.

METHODS

In 2004, a structured survey was completed by 1,209 abortion patients at 11 large providers, and in-
depth interviews were conducted with 38 women at four sites. Bivariate analyses examined differences
in the reasons for abortion across subgroups, and multivariate logistic regression models assessed
associations between respondent characteristics and reported reasons.

RESULTS

The reasons most frequently cited were that having a child would interfere with a woman's education,
work or ability to care for dependents (74%); that she could not afford a baby now (73%); and that she
did not want to be a single mother or was having relationship problems (48%). Nearly four in 10 women
said they had completed their childbearing, and almost one-third were not ready to have a child. Fewer
than 1% said their parents' or partners' desire for them to have an abortion was the most important
reason. Younger women often reported that they were unprepared for the transition to motherhood,
while older women regularly cited their responsibility to dependents.

CONCLUSIONS

The decision to have an abortion is typically motivated by multiple, diverse and interrelated reasons. The
themes of responsibility to others and resource limitations, such as financial constraints and lack of
partner support, recurred throughout the study.

Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2005, 37(3):110–118