Pregnancy timeline at a glance:
1st - 5th week of pregnancy
Because an egg can only be fertilized from the second week of a cycle. With the missed period in the fifth week of pregnancy, the pregnancy becomes physically noticeable for the first time.
6th week of pregnancy – your baby's heart is already beating
Many women have not yet noticed the pregnancy at this point, but the embryo's organs are already beginning to form in the uterus. The rudiments of the eyes and early formations of arms and legs are visible – and the tiny heart has already started beating. Some women now feel a pulling sensation in the lower abdomen. This is because the uterus grows to almost double its size in a short time to make room for the embryo.
7th week of pregnancy - First pregnancy symptoms appear
Not all women suffer from typical pregnancy symptoms such as nausea or food cravings. If they do, these often appear from the 7th week of pregnancy. Regardless, the embryo is growing at a rapid pace – so far the large head is particularly noticeable. In addition to the maternity record booklet, in which the course of the pregnancy is documented, a comprehensive blood test is usually performed now.
8th week of pregnancy – your body is in high-performance mode
The embryo in your belly is only 15 mm in size, but its human features are already clearly recognizable, even though the head still appears much too large in proportion to the body. Already in the 8th week of pregnancy the spine and internal organs develop. About two liters more blood are already flowing in the mother's circulation, and the heart and kidneys are working at high performance – this makes many expectant mothers very tired at first.
9th week of pregnancy – the first ultrasound images
From the 9th week of pregnancy the first of the three ultrasound examinations in the course of pregnancy is scheduled. Many parents can hardly wait to see their baby for the first time. Almost more important, however, is the examination in which the doctor checks carefully whether the embryo is developing healthily. The typical pregnancy symptoms are now in full swing – fortunately, an end is in sight.
10th week of pregnancy - The embryo becomes a fetus
From the 10th week the embryo is referred to as a fetus. The child growing in your belly now measures about 3,5 cm and all organs are developed. Hands and feet are already visible on the ultrasound. The doctor will now take a close look to detect possible malformations or hereditary diseases as early as possible.
11th week of pregnancy – Your baby's skeleton begins to form
In the 11th week of pregnancy the fetus's cartilage slowly turns into solid bone, its muscles develop and the central nervous system becomes increasingly differentiated. With some luck, the constant fatigue and nausea of the first months subside slowly – soon the first trimester will be over.
12th week of pregnancy – the magical milestone
With the 12th week of pregnancy the likelihood of a miscarriage drops significantly. At the latest now the baby news is announced. The baby now weighs about 10 grams and already shows first facial expressions and gestures, and its sense of balance is developing. Most women can now breathe a sigh of relief – symptoms such as nausea and fatigue decrease noticeably.
13th week of pregnancy - Into the second trimester
From the 13th week of pregnancy things usually become a bit calmer for baby and mother: all physical structures are present, and the fetus grows and thrives. Now the final body proportions gradually emerge, while gestures and facial expressions continue to develop. Many women also notice around the 13th week of pregnancy how their belly slowly begins to round.
14th week of pregnancy - The belly is slowly becoming rounder
By the 14th week of pregnancy the pregnancy also becomes slowly visible from the outside. The baby is now about 7 cm long and covered with fine down over the whole body. It can already suck and swallow and performs these vital reflexes repeatedly in the womb. Many women continue to experience mood swings or are often tired, yet the fourth month of pregnancy is overall a very restful time for most.
15th week of pregnancy – Boy or girl?
In the 15th week of pregnancy the baby's neck is fully developed, it can turn its head and perceive sounds and touch stimuli from the outside. The baby's internal organs also continue to develop in size and function. On the ultrasound the baby's sex is now clearly recognizable – and many women have to buy not only baby clothes but also their first maternity dresses.
16th week of pregnancy – was that already a fetal movement?
By the end of the fourth month of pregnancy the fetus is about 10 cm long and up to 100g in weight. The body proportions are largely correct and the metabolic system including the urinary system is fully developed. Especially women who have already had a child may sometimes feel tentative fetal movements as early as the 16th week of pregnancy.
17th week of pregnancy - Routine slowly sets in
From the fifth month of pregnancy it's primarily about growth and gaining weight for the baby. It develops a layer of fat and its movements also become stronger and more coordinated – sometimes the woman can already feel a slight 'fluttering' in the lower abdomen. It is particularly impressive when the expectant parents hear their baby's heartbeat for the first time during the examination in the 17th week of pregnancy.
18th week of pregnancy - The baby practices inhaling and exhaling
The baby still has enough space in the amniotic sac, and it uses it to train its muscles and coordination. Growth slows down slightly, but the central nervous system develops and it practices breathing movements in the amniotic fluid. The expectant mother is not yet particularly physically affected, but the belly continues to grow steadily.
19th week of pregnancy - Time for the second ultrasound examination
At the end of the fifth or the beginning of the sixth month the second of the three ultrasound appointments in the pregnancy takes place. Compared with the first ultrasound image, the baby's face and limbs are now clearly visible and, if it has not happened before, the expectant parents see for the first time by now whether their baby will be a boy or a girl.
20th week of pregnancy - Finally halfway
With the 20th week of pregnancy the first half of pregnancy is over and by now mother and baby have already become acquainted: the kicks against the abdominal wall become increasingly stronger. The fetus now has the full number of nerve cells and is very active. Due to the displacement of the uterus many pregnant women now suffer from heartburn and frequent urination.
21st week of pregnancy – sensory perception develops
With the second half of pregnancy the so-called concretization phase of the fetus begins. Your baby's face and facial expressions continue to become more distinct, as do the senses. The mother's belly and breasts grow increasingly – the pregnancy can no longer be easily hidden.
22nd week of pregnancy – in full motion
In the 22nd week of pregnancy your baby already has its final proportions, but is still very thin. Now muscle and fat layer formation begins. As a result the mother's magnesium needs increase, so additional magnesium supplements are often prescribed.
23rd week of pregnancy – your baby is exercising muscles and reflexes
In the 23rd week of pregnancy the fetus is theoretically already viable – with modern medicine preemies born this week have good chances. In the womb your baby continues to gain weight and moves increasingly in a coordinated way. The lungs are also developing.
24th week of pregnancy – end of the second trimester
By the end of the sixth month the first practice contractions may already occur – this is usually not a cause for concern. In the 24th week of pregnancy the baby increasingly responds to familiar voices and commits them to memory. Its sense of taste also becomes more refined – your baby practices it by drinking amniotic fluid.
25th week of pregnancy – the belly keeps growing
When the seventh month of pregnancy begins it gradually becomes strenuous for most women: the fetus continues to gain muscle and fat and continuously practices its movements and reflexes. Its lungs also continue to develop. With the growing belly many women now experience back pain.
26th week of pregnancy – your baby opens its eyes
In the 26th week of pregnancy the baby opens its eyes in the womb for the first time. The nostrils also open and your child practices breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid. It is now becoming increasingly receptive to sounds and touches from the outside: many women "respond" to kicks and nudges by contacting the baby through touching the abdominal wall.
27th week of pregnancy – the senses continue to develop
At the end of the 7th month of pregnancy the birth approaches and with it all organizational questions – e.g., whether the baby should be born in a hospital, at home or in a birth center. The baby remains very active and its sensory perception is increasingly forming.
28th week of pregnancy – from now on checkups take place every two weeks
In the 28th week of pregnancy the pregnancy enters the home stretch. Many women now start a prenatal class, and checkups are now performed every two weeks. Meanwhile the baby's immune system begins to work independently and the lungs and bronchial system develop – the basis for independent breathing.
29th week of pregnancy – your baby is 'complete'
The eighth month of pregnancy begins and your baby's organs are largely developed. From now on your baby will gain about 250 g per week. The head also grows again from week 29: it is slowly getting tight in the mother's belly. For the woman this is noticeable by shortness of breath, frequent urge to urinate, back or joint pain.
30th week of pregnancy – your baby's skin smooths out
In the last two months of pregnancy weight gain and preparation for birth are the focus: your baby develops a fat layer that plumps up the skin and makes it smoother. In addition, from week 30 it slowly assumes the typical fetal position, with the arms folded in front of the body.
31st week of pregnancy – activity decreases
Not only does the expectant mother take it noticeably easier in week 31, the baby also restricts its movements – inevitably, because there is now little space left in the uterus. However, its lungs are fully developed and the surface protein surfactant, which prevents the air sacs from sticking together, is increasingly produced.
32nd week of pregnancy – your baby may already move into the starting position
By the end of the eighth month of pregnancy many babies already turn into birth position and lie head down; the mother often feels this by foot kicks into the diaphragm. The baby still gains weight and develops its protective fat layer, while the woman should now conserve energy for the birth.
33rd week of pregnancy – skeleton and skull continue to harden
In the 33rd week of pregnancy the baby's skeleton is largely developed, but the skull bones remain loosely connected until after birth. The ninth month of pregnancy begins – it's quite possible that your baby has already descended its head into the pelvis to be in the correct position for birth.
34th week of pregnancy – the last working week for expectant mothers
Sitting or standing at work every day may already have become quite exhausting: after week 34 maternity leave begins and the woman can calmly prepare for the birth. Babies born as early as week 34 usually have no problems – the lungs and the warming fat layer are now largely developed.
35th week of pregnancy – time to fill energy reserves
In the last weeks before birth the most important thing for mother and child is to build up additional energy reserves. The baby continues to grow and is now also viable outside the mother's body without medical assistance. For the mother the final preparations now begin: nursery, hospital bag and paperwork.
36th week of pregnancy – already lightening contractions?
The pregnancy enters the final stage and checkups with the doctor now take place weekly. Many women feel lightening contractions in week 36, during which the baby's head descends into the pelvis, as well as practice contractions. Overall it becomes calmer in the belly – the baby has hardly any room left to kick.
37th week of pregnancy – the tenth and final month
Strictly speaking a pregnancy lasts ten rather than nine months – and the tenth month has now begun. The protective vernix caseosa and the soft downy hair over the baby's entire body disappear, while the scalp hair grows. Many parents can hardly wait now – the baby itself spends these last weeks mainly sleeping.
38th week of pregnancy – the 3000 g mark has been reached
In week 38 your baby weighs around 3000 grams and is ready for birth in every respect. A planned cesarean section is usually performed now, but many normal deliveries also begin up to two weeks before the estimated due date. Many women now become increasingly restless, sleep poorly and have vivid dreams.
39th week of pregnancy – the big wait
At the end of the tenth month of pregnancy mother and baby primarily wait for the birth, yet the baby continues to grow steadily and still gains about 250 g per week. The amniotic fluid is now steadily decreasing, but the baby increasingly releases hormones in preparation for birth.
40th week of pregnancy: due date – or keep waiting?
Even though many expectant mothers eagerly await the calculated due date, the baby in most cases is born before or after the due date. The woman should now sleep a lot to conserve energy for the birth – most women in week 40 are anyway reluctant to go far from home.
41st and 42nd week of pregnancy. When the baby keeps you waiting
Relatively many babies are not born until one or two weeks after the due date. This is burdensome for the mother because of the large belly and the impatience. As long as the baby is healthy and there is sufficient amniotic fluid, an 'overdue' pregnancy usually causes no problems. At the end of the 42nd week the birth is then typically induced by medical staff.
