Month by month
The main events occurring in the foetus during each period of its development.
| Period | Main events seen in the foetus |
|---|---|
| Month 3 | Takes a human form. The head is comparatively large beside the other parts of the body. The formation of nails on the fingers begins. The female and male genitalia have developed. |
| Month 4 | The development of the bony skeleton begins. Hair starts to grow. |
| Month 5 | The foetus is completely covered with hair. The movements of the foetus are felt by the mother for the first time. The heartbeat of the foetus can be heard from outside. (The normal heart rate is 120–140 per minute.) |
| Month 6 | The eyebrows and eyelashes have developed. |
| Month 7 | The eyelids open. The skin bears a wrinkled appearance. |
| Month 8 | Fat begins to be deposited under the skin. The weight of the foetus is about 2½ kg. |
| Month 9 | The nails on the fingers have grown completely. The testes have descended into the scrotum. The whole body takes on a filled-out, grown appearance. The weight of the foetus is about 2½–3½ kg. |
Table 14.1 — the main events occurring in the foetus during each period.
Shaped first, finished later
By month three everything is present — human form, fingers, genitalia. The six months that follow add almost no new parts; they are spent on size, fat and readiness. This is why a baby born early is recognisably complete but not yet able to manage outside.