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Week 8 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside

British Columbia Specific Information

If you have any questions or concerns about pregnancy, labour and baby care speak with your health care provider or contact HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 to speak with a registered nurse anytime of the day or night, any day of the year, or a pharmacist from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

You can also read Baby's Best Chance (PDF 14.88 MB), a parent’s handbook on pregnancy and baby care.

Topic Contents

Topic Overview

Pregnancy can be exciting, mysterious, and exhausting. During pregnancy, your body does a ton of work to support the growth of your baby. And even though you can't feel it yet, your baby is growing and changing very fast.

Wondering what your baby looks like now? As you enter your third month of pregnancy, your baby is about 22 mm (1 in.) in length.

How your baby is changing

Here are some of the important facts and developments around 8 weeks.

    • The embryo starts out looking like a tiny seed, and then like a tadpole with a tail, and then more human by the end of the month.
    • When you are 6 weeks pregnant, your embryo has the beginnings of a brain, eyes, ears, heart, lungs, liver, and other organs. There are tiny bumps where arms and legs will grow.
    • When you are 8 weeks pregnant, the heart and brain have divided into their major parts. Your baby, now called a fetus, has webbed fingers and has arms that bend at the elbow. The legs and feet will take a little more time to grow. Muscles will soon start working.

Credits

Adaptation Date: 4/28/2022

Adapted By: HealthLink BC

Adaptation Reviewed By: HealthLink BC