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A
person is a |
Our baby boy was conceived on March 25th
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Embryo at Fertilization |
| Our first nine months of life must have been the most eventful we have ever experienced. Here are the major milestones of that life before birth - the first chapter in your own biography |
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Fertilization: |
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The father's sperm penetrates the mother's egg cell. genetic instructions from both parents interact to begin a new and unique individual no bigger than a grain of sugar. |
| From the moment of conception, 46 chromosomes with 30,000 genes combined to determine all your physical characteristics: sex, facial features; body type; colur of hair, eyes and skin. |
| Even more amazing, intelligence and personality - the way you think and feel - were already in place within your genetic code. At the moment of conception you were essentially and uniquely you. |
| You progressed from a single cell to a tiny human being with all organs present and functioning. The rest of your time in the womb was devoted to refinement, growth and practice. While still in the womb you began to move swall and "breathe" amniotic fluid, to react to stimuli and generally prepare yourself for life on the outside. |
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5 - 9 days New individual burrows into the wall of the womb. Sex can be determined. |
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14 days Mother's menstrual period is suppressed by a hormone produced by child. |
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15 days Heart is forming; eyes develop. |
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18 days - 24 days Heart begins to beat |
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19 days Eyes start to develop |
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20 days Foundations of brain, spinal cord and nervous system are laid. |
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28 days 40 muscles are developing along the future spine. Arms and legs are budding. |
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30 days Child has grown 10,000 times to 6-7 mm. (1/4 in.) long. Brain has human proportions. Blood flows in veins (but stays separate from mother's blood). |
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42 days The skeleton is complete and the reflexes are present |
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43 days Electrical brain wave patterns can be recorded. This is usually ample evidence that "thinking is taking place in the brain. The new life may be considered a thinking person. |
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49 days The baby has the appearance of a miniature doll with complete fingers, toes and ears. |
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56 days Name changed from embryo to fetus. All organs are functioning--the stomach, liver, kidney, and brain--all systems are intact. There are lines in the palms. All future development of the new life is simply that of refinement and increase in size. This is approximately two months before "quickening" yet there is a new life with all of its parts needing only nourishment. The mother will usually not feel the child's movement until four months after conception. |
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9th and 10th week Baby squints, swallows, and retracts its tongue. |
Last Updated: 02/02/2002