Facts about Fetal Development

Prenatal Development

  • Heart begins to beat at 18- 22 days, begins pumping blood at 21 days, and has its own blood type.

  • All body systems are present by 8 weeks of development.

  • Brainwaves can be detected between 40-45 days after conception, skeleton is complete, reflexes present.

  • At the end of three months, a baby’s organs and organ systems are becoming interconnected.  The baby can hiccup and suck his/her thumb and flex its arms and tiny legs.

  • At 5 months, the baby’s own immune system is developed enough to partly defend itself against the rare infections that can pass through the placental filter, such as rubella and syphilis.