Hope Pregnancy Center of Central Idaho, Inc.
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Immediately upon fertilization, cellular development begins. Even
before implantation, the sex of the new life can be determined, and
the blueprint is in place for every detail such as hair and eye color,
height, and skin tone.
At implantation the new life is composed of hundreds of cells and
has developed a protective hormone to prevent the mother's body
from rejecting it as a foreign tissue. This happens during days 5-9.
During days 17, 18, 19 the new life has developed its own blood
cells. The placenta is a part of the new life and not of the mother.
On occasion, pulsations begin in the muscle that will be the baby's
heart. The eyes start to develop.
At day 20 the foundation of the entire nervous system has been
laid down.
From Day 24-30 40 pairs of muscles, which will be the arms and
legs, develop along the trunk of the new life. Regular blood flow
begins within the vascular system, and the ears and nose begin to
develop.
From Day 40-49 the heart energy output is reported to be almost
20% of the output of an adult. About the time most mothers learn
they are pregnant, the skeleton is complete and reflexes are
present. Electrical brain wave patterns can be recorded. There is
ample evidence that thinking is taking place in the brain. The new life
is now a thinking person and is complete with fingers, toes, and ears.
At Day 56 all organs are functioning - stomach, liver, kidneys, brain
- and all systems are intact. This new life has all of his/her parts,
even lines in the palms of their hands.
In the 9th and 10th weeks the child squints, swallows and
retracts his/her tongue.
In the 11th and 12th weeks the arms and legs move. The baby
sucks his/her thumb, inhales and exhales amniotic fluid. The nails
appear.
At 16 weeks (4 months) the genital organs are clearly
differentiated. The baby grasps with its hands, swims, kicks, and
turns somersaults.
At 18 weeks the baby can cry!
At 20 weeks the baby has hair! The baby weighs about one pound and
is 12 inches long.
(Compiled from Heartbeat International's "Planting the Seed: the
Love Approach Manual.")
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