Diary of an unborn baby: the amazing process of a baby’s development:
Day 1: Fertilization: All my human chromosomes are present; I am a unique human life beginning!
Weeks 1-2: The DNA in my 46 chromosomes of my one cell contains my individual sex, eye color, shoe size, brain capacity and other physical traits. Before the second week is over, my rapidly developing and multiplying cells give rise to the brain, nervous system, skin, digestive system, muscles, bones and circulatory system.
Weeks 3-4: My heart begins to beat with my own blood, (often a different blood type than my mother’s). I am developing rapidly at this time with the formation of the umbilical cord transporting oxygen and nutrients absorbed from my mother’s blood by the placenta.
Week 5: My baby eyes, legs, and hands begin to develop.
Week 6: My brain waves are detectable and can be scientifically measured; mouth, lips present; fingers forming. I begin my first movements.
Week 7: My eyelids, toes form; my nose is distinct; I am kicking and swimming.
Week 8: Every organ is in place; my bones; fingerprints begin to form. I can swallow amniotic fluid and can be observed hiccupping. Taste and teeth buds are beginning to form.
Weeks 9 and 10: Teeth continue to form, fingernails develop; my baby head can turn, and sometimes frown.
Week 11: I can grasp objects placed in hand; the kidneys begin to form urine and I can mimic the movements of breathing. From this point on, all my body systems are in place and active.
Week 12: I have reached my peak frequency of movement and rarely pause for more than five minutes. My sex can be visually identified and my face begins to display distinctive characteristics resembling my family.
Week 14: My baby heart is pumping several quarts of blood through my body every day. The smallest details are now taking shape. For a couple of weeks now, all the body parts required to experience pain, including all the nerves, spinal cord and thalamus are present.
Week 16: I am visibly turning, kicking, doing somersaults, making fine finger movements, wiggling my toes and making a fist.
Week 17: I can have dream (REM) sleep.
Week 20: I can hear my mother's voice and feel soothed; I respond to a number of outside stimuli including pats on my mother’s abdomen, music, sudden noises, etc. It is only a matter of time now, with no new parts to form or new body systems to develop! I am eager to be born!
Legally, there is no reason this child can’t be aborted at this stage, if the mother finds the child inconvenient, expensive, or simply a bother – this is reason enough to allow her to end her baby’s life. The question of viability or when the baby is able to survive outside the mother is constantly changing. Science has made considerable progress in saving babies anywhere from 19-23+ weeks after fertilization.
