When is it Too Late for an Abortion: Your Growing Baby

 
As women learn they are pregnant and what their pregnancy options are, we often hear questions like: “When does the baby’s heart start to beat? When does she get fingernails? When will I feel her kick? How do I find out how far along I am? When is it too late for an abortion?”

It is beneficial to take a few minutes to learn how your baby is growing and changing. Because you are now already a mother, taking time to make the best decisions for your baby is a beautiful first step to ensuring your baby has the life you want her to have! This short video provided by the Endowment for Human Development gives a wonderful overview.

If you have any questions, please call or text us 24/7 at 1-800-923-6784. If you are ready to start an adoption plan, please complete our free form now. Filling out this form only helps us find out more about your situation and does not obligate you in any way. We want to help you make the best choice for you and your baby.

How soon can I find out if I am pregnant?

Many women wonder how soon they can find out if they’re pregnant. A hormone (hCG) is present in your bloodstream from the time you conceive. Generally, a home pregnancy test may detect the hormone around ten days after conception. However, most pregnancy tests recommend waiting until after you have missed your period for an accurate result.

Right now, you may be anxious and want to know, but you could get a false negative very early on. To avoid this, wait to take a test after you miss your period. Take the test when you first wake up, as the hormone tends to be more concentrated. Early in pregnancy, you may have a negative result at night and then a positive test in the morning. If you get a negative result but are still concerned, you can retest a few days later or visit your doctor for a blood test that can detect the hormone within 9 to 12 days of conception.

How far along am I? When is my baby due? When is it too late for an abortion?

Some women may know when they got pregnant, but many others will not. To figure this out, a doctor will ask what the first day of your last period was and go from there. Generally, women ovulate around two weeks after their period begins, which is when they get pregnant. The doctor will add 280 days or 40 weeks to the first day of your last period. Now comes the tricky part.

Your due date is based on the first day of your last period, so you are already two weeks pregnant when you get pregnant. Even if you know the day you conceived, you are still technically two weeks pregnant on that day. If you’re confused, resources, such as Lifetime’s online pregnancy due date calculator tool, can help you understand your due date and how many weeks pregnant you are.

First Trimester

Month 1 (Weeks 1-4)

fetal development internal organs

So, as odd as it seems, you get pregnant at week two and probably won’t know you are pregnant until week four or later. However, all the DNA or genetic information forms as soon as you conceive. This means from day one, things such as what color eyes your baby will have, what sex your baby will be, what color hair, how tall she will be is already decided.

In weeks three and four, your baby is developing fast, and already the cells are becoming different parts of the body. There are brain cells, internal organ cells, and all parts of the body have cells growing towards their formation.

Month 2 (weeks 5-8)

fetal development in sac

This is the month most women discover they are pregnant. By weeks six and seven, you may be experiencing some morning sickness (although it isn’t limited to mornings, unfortunately) and feel other changes like breast tenderness. These are often the signs that bring a woman to take a pregnancy test.

Your baby’s brain, spinal cord, and heart develop at week five. Just after this, the heart begins beating by week six. Her arms, legs, eyes, and ears start to develop, and by week eight, even her tiny hands and feet are forming.

Month 3 (weeks 9 – 13)

fetal development tiny eyes

If this is an unexpected pregnancy, by week nine, you may still be in a bit of shock and trying to figure out what you are going to do. In the meantime, your baby is growing and changing fast. If you have been researching “When is it too late for an abortion?” this is normally the month. Here is more information about abortion vs adoption.

All your baby’s organs are forming by week nine, and facial features are starting to form by week ten. By week eleven and twelve teeth buds and fingernails are developing. By week thirteen, it is possible to see if you are having a boy or girl on an ultrasound, although your doctor will probably wait to confirm until you are further along, as it can be hard to tell at this point.

Second Trimester

Month 4 (weeks 14 – 17)

fetal development head and organs

At week fourteen, you begin your second trimester. You are now only 26 weeks away from your delivery date. If you had morning sickness, you are probably starting to feel better now, and you may find yourself hungrier than normal.

Your baby is starting to grow hair and can wiggle her toes. She will even start to hear your voice and other sounds through your body. By your fifteenth week, your baby is moving around in there, and all her organs are fully formed and starting to work. Over the next couple of weeks, your baby will double her size and can make fists and even suck her thumb.

Month 5 (weeks 18 – 22)

fetal development hands and feet

At this point, you will probably feel some fluttering sensations, and yes, that is your baby moving around in there. By the end of your 5th month, your baby is 8 – 10 inches long and probably doing some somersaults you will feel.

Hair is growing on her head, and her senses, such as touch, smell, and hearing, are developing fast. Your baby will also learn to swallow this month, and her digestive system is up and working.

While difficult, a baby can survive being born at this stage. Recently, a mother gave birth to twins at 22 weeks, and with a lot of help, they survived and are now home and doing great.

Month 6 (weeks 23 – 27)

fetal development further along

Your baby is now at a point where nearly everything is in place, and she looks just like a skinny newborn. During weeks 23 – 27, she is maturing and starting to put on fat. It is time to put some weight on. You will probably begin to feel a pattern of wake and sleep times by your baby’s movements.

The lungs are an important part of development now. By week 27, your baby could survive outside the womb with medical help, but the next few weeks are really important for lung development.

Week 27 is the end of your second trimester, and you are already heading into your third trimester.

Third Trimester

Month 7 (Weeks 28 – 31)

fetal development eyelashes

At 28 weeks, your baby has eyelashes and is starting to blink. She can even see some light coming through. Over the next few weeks, she grows muscles, and her body prepares itself for the outside world. Your baby is now 14 – 16 inches long and weighs about three pounds.

You may have mood swings this month and perhaps throughout your pregnancy. You can be up one minute and sad or anxious the next. One in ten women actually experiences depression during their pregnancy. Remember to give yourself a break. You have a lot of hormones raging in your body, and you may be starting to feel uncomfortable. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help if you can’t shake these feelings.

Month 8 (Week 32 – 35)

fetal development fully formed baby 3D

Your baby’s biggest job this month is to gain weight. While her nervous system and lungs are still developing, she would do well even if she is born around the end of the month. The lungs are generally where a little medical intervention may be needed, but these days, hospitals are ready and knowledgeable about how to help a preemie who has difficulty inflating her lungs.

Month 9 (Week 36 – 40)

3D baby ultrasound

You’ve made it to your final month, and most women are ready to have their baby at this point. By week 37, your baby is considered full-term, so be prepared. You could go into labor anytime now. While your baby is gaining the fat she needs, you should get a hospital bag ready so you can grab it and go when labor starts.

While a lot happens during pregnancy, it actually goes by fast. Women usually don’t find out they are pregnant until the middle to end of their second month, so you really only know you are pregnant for seven months. In that short time, your baby goes from a tiny pea-sized baby with her heart starting to beat at week six to a full-grown newborn in just seven and a half months.

Most women don’t even start to show until their 6th or 7th month, and all that time, even if others are not aware you are pregnant, that precious life inside of you is working hard to grow and thrive. Throughout your pregnancy, love and protect yourself and your baby.

Tweet this:It is important to understand what week you are in so you can understand what stage of development your baby is at.

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