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Pregnancy Trimester

Note: Information provided on this page is for general education only, please seek medical assistance when in doubt

Pregnancy is typically broken into three periods, or trimesters, each of about three months or about 14 weeks, resulting in a total duration of 42 weeks, although the average duration of pregnancy is actually about 40 weeks.
»  First Trimester
»  Second Trimester
»  Third Trimester

Usually after 14 days of the last normal menstrual period ovulation occurs where the egg cell is released from one of the female's two ovaries. This egg cell unites with male sperm in one of the two fallopian tubes; this process is referred as fertilization where the egg cell fuses with the male gamete. The fertilized egg, known as a zygote, then moves toward the uterus, a journey that can take up to a week to complete. Cell division begins approximately 24 to 36 hours after the male and female cells unite. Cell division continues at a rapid rate and the cells then develop into what is known as a blastocyst. The blastocyst arrives at the uterus and attaches to the uterine wall, a process known as implantation.

In first 10 weeks of gestation the cell divides rapidly and begin to differentiate into the various body systems, the basic outlines of the organ, body, and nervous systems are established. By the end of the embryonic stage, the beginnings of features such as fingers, eyes, mouth, and ears become visible, during this time, there is also development of structures important to support the embryo, including the placenta and umbilical cord. Placenta connects the developing embryo to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply while the umbilical cord is the connecting cord from the embryo or fetus to the placenta.

After about 10 weeks of gestational age, the embryo becomes known as a fetus when the risk of miscarriage decreases sharply, at this stage the length of a fetus is typically about 30 mm (1.2 inches) and the heart can be seen beating via ultrasound; the fetus can be seen making various involuntary motions at this stage. During continued fetal development, the early body systems and structures that were established in the embryonic stage continue to develop. Sex organs begin to appear during the third month of gestation. The fetus continues to grow in both weight and length, although the majority of the physical growth occurs only in the last weeks of pregnancy.

Fetal Growth in ...
1st month 2nd month 3rd month 4th month
5th month 6th month 7th month 8th month
9th month 10th month

Fetal Growth in ...
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
Week 13 Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Week 18
Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Week 22 Week 23 Week 24
Week 25 Week 26 Week 27 Week 28 Week 29 Week 30
Week 31 Week 32 Week 33 Week 34 Week 35 Week 36
Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Week 40 Beyond 40 weeks

Also See:
»  Due Date Calculator
»  Ovulation Calculator (When is Ovulation)
»  Fertility Calculator
»  Safe Period Calculator
»  Fetal Growth Calculator
»  Fetal Size Calculator
»  Pregnancy Calendar (Pregnancy Chart)
»  Fetal length and weight chart
»  Pregnancy Weeks (Pregnancy week by week)
»  Pregnancy Months (Pregnancy month by month)
»  Pregnancy Trimester
    -  First Trimester
    -  Second Trimester
    -  Third Trimester
»  How to get Pregnant
»  Pregnancy Overview
»  Signs or Symptoms of Pregnancy
»  Pregnancy Tests
»  When to test for pregnancy
»  Embryonic period in human pregnancy
»  Menstruation
»  What is Ovulation
»  When does Ovulation occurs
»  What is fertile period
»  When is safe period
»  IVF (In vitro fertilization)