Fetal development timeline
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The transformation from a tiny fertilised egg to a fully-formed baby is an incredible process.
When you’re pregnant, it can be exciting and moving to think about what your baby’s getting up to in there. From his first heartbeat to the day he’s ready to enter the world, here are the major milestones your baby will reach while he’s still in your womb (uterus).
Of course, every baby is different, so these timings are just a guideline.
First trimester
Three weeks
When egg meets sperm, the fertilised egg is known as a zygote. It travels from your fallopian tube down to your womb, where it will continue to grow. You probably won’t know you’re pregnant for a few weeks yet, though.
Did you know? At this early stage, your midwife will calculate your due date by working back to the first day of your last menstrual period.
Four weeks
The ball of cells has officially become an embryo and is about the size of a poppy seed. The early brain and spinal cord (neural tube) will develop, allowing yo...
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