Pregnancy Month One - from the moment your egg is fertilized your baby's genetic blueprint is set. Following fertilization the egg turns into a ball of cells and implants itself into the wall of the womb. It starts to grow, becoming no bigger than a grain of rice before it starts to grow a heart and a spinal cord.



Pregnancy Month Two - The baby starts to take more of a human form, the head grows, facial features start to form, hands and feet start to develop and its muscles begin to grow. By the end of the second month a heartbeat can be picked up by ultrasound. By week eight the fetus is about 2.5cm long, 10,000 times bigger than at the point of conception.

Pregnancy Month Three - In the third month toes and fingers appear, sex organs start to develop and by the end of the month all the vital organs are formed and the baby officially becomes known as a fetus. By week 12 your baby should weigh around 14g and be around 8cm long. Beyond 12 weeks the baby becomes less susceptible to infection and the risk of miscarriage is greatly reduced.

Pregnancy Month Four - During the forth month the baby continues to grow, toe and fingernails appear and fine hair appears all over the body. Your little miracle should now be able to curl their fingers and toes and suck their thumb.

Pregnancy Month Five - Hair, eyelashes and eyebrows grow and the baby's senses start to develop. The baby continues to grow to approximately 13cm and a creamy white substance is produced to coat the body and protect the baby's skin.

Pregnancy Month Six - The baby's growth slows down, he starts to have more control over his movements and his digestive and immune systems and lungs start to mature.

Pregnancy Month Seven - All major organs accept the lungs are functioning, cells mature and the brain develops. A baby born in the seventh month has a good chance of survival.

Pregnancy Month Eight - The baby can open and close his eyes and develops a sense of taste. He may settle in position for birth and looks very much like a newborn.

Pregnancy Month Nine - The baby is now fully formed and growing. The baby develops a thick layer of subcutaneous fat and can gain up to 225g per week. In the last month the baby's head will usually engage into the pelvis in readiness for birth. Less than 10% of babies arrive on their due date with around 85% arriving in the first two weeks of month ten.