Pregnancy Calendar: Second Trimester
For the fetus, rapid growth takes place during the second trimester, culminating in enough development for life to be possible outside the womb at 25 to 27 weeks, if the fetus is born prematurely. With the nervous system firmly in place, the fetus is able to move about, kicking and navigating the womb with a cushion of amniotic fluid. The baby sleeps and wakes in regular cycles, which the mother-to-be will identify through the movements she feels as the baby is active in-utero.
Eyelashes, body hair, and reproductive organs form, and parents-to-be have the opportunity to discover the gender of their baby via ultrasound, if they choose. Toward the end of the second trimester, kidney and lung development mature, which makes life possible for the premature fetus.
For a week-by-week report on your baby?s incredible development during this period of pregnancy, click on the links below that correspond with the weekly happenings inside the womb.
Select your week of pregnancy:
