Pregnancy & Childbirth
If you are pregnant, please enter your expected due date to find out approximately how many heartbeats your baby has experienced so far. Or, enter any birth date or age (in years) to estimate how many heartbeats a child or adult has experienced. (No data is collected from this page.)
Did you know that a full-term baby’s heart beats approximately 54 million times before birth?
The heart first appears about 20 days after fertilization. Once it begins to beat 22 days after fertilization, it does not rest except during the brief moment of relaxation between contractions. During an 80-year lifetime, the heart will beat more than 3 billion times!
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Embryonic Period – Week 1
Fertilization and development of a single-cell embryo. Activation of the genome. Zygote divides into two blastomeres. Spherical-shaped embryo implants into wall of womb and placenta begins to form.
2-3 weeks
Brain is the first organ to appear and three main divisions take place. Foregut, midgut and hindgut form.
4-5 weeks
The early stages of eye development occur. Germ cells migrate to gonads. Formation of lungs begin. Rapid growth of the brain takes place.
6-7 weeks
Origin of left coronary artery. Polygon hands and toe rays are present. Elbow regin sometimes identifiable. Brainwave activity begins. Hands begin to move.
8-9 weeks
Eyelids are completed. Fetus bends hip and knee. Drinking fluid and sucking thumb are evident as the young fetus sighs, stretches, moves the head, opens the mouth and moves the tongue.
9-10 weeks
Eyes roll downward reflexively. Tiny fingerprints are evident and the bones are getting harder. Tooth buds forming.
10-11 weeks
Face now makes complex expressions. Nose and lips are completely formed. It is now evident if the fetus is a boy or girl. Intestines absorb water and glucose.
10-11 weeks
Face now makes complex expressions. Nose and lips are completely formed. It is now evident if the fetus is a boy or girl. Intestines absorb water and glucose.
Images and video courtesy of The Endowment for Human Development
