When you are 9 weeks pregnant, all of your baby’s major organs have already been formed. The embryonic tail is gone.
If you are very worried about miscarriage, ask for an ultrasound. If a beating heart is detected and you are not bleeding, the risk of miscarriage is now down to below 2% according to research.
If you want to follow the development of your little embryo, check out these fetal development videos.
In this article:
Your Baby’s Development
The fetal age of your baby is now 7 weeks. This week, you are entering the third month of pregnancy. Some women may now have known for weeks already and have gotten used to the idea of being pregnant, while others have been contemplating the many pregnancy symptoms with ifs and buts for the last few weeks.
These are your baby’s milestones this week:
- When you’re 9 weeks pregnant, your baby is now just under an inch in length (2.3 cm) and weighs less than a tenth of an ounce (about 2 grams). You can compare him or her to the size of a grape now and your child is starting to take on a more human-like appearance rather than a tadpole as previously.
- The embryonic tail that your baby had up until this point has now disappeared, and all of the essential body parts and organs are present and accounted for. The next weeks are for development and growth of everything that is already there. It goes so quickly, don’t you think?!
- The eyelids are fused shut at this point and won’t open for quite some time until around week 26 (or sometimes a few weeks earlier, as seen in some ultrasound scans), even though the eyes are fully formed now.
- The four chambers of the heart have finished dividing and the valves are now forming, to prepare for the time to come.
- Even tiny teeth are formed under those gums, just waiting to come out later on.
- Intestines begin to move out of the umbilical cord and into the abdomen as your baby grows and all of the “behind the scenes” action of ear development is finished.
- Genitalia is also forming although you will not be able to tell for some time if it is a little boy or girl you will welcome into your home.
Mood swings can be rampant at this point in your pregnancy, as some women will find themselves happy one moment and emotionally exhausted the next.
All of the hormones can be hard on your system, especially if this is your first pregnancy. Each pregnancy is different and you may find that your moods are mostly triggered by your anxiety about a new addition to the family, especially if this is an unplanned pregnancy.
Other women may find that their moods ease up around 10 weeks and they feel a little more back to normal.
Textbook pregnancy symptoms can be more apparent now than ever before with tender, fuller breasts, nausea, and heartburn. If your morning sickness is really bad, “Beyond Morning Sickness” is a very helpful book. You may also feel better by reading about the benefits of morning sickness here.
Even extreme fatigue can be a tip-off for those women who have yet to realize all that is going on within themselves.You can learn about more pregnancy signs here.
Depending on how you feel and what your thoughts are, some women still choose to wait to announce their big news until after week 12, while other women cannot contain their excitement and let everyone know right away.
Taking your time to tell everyone is a personal decision and should not be rushed into if you are still unsure about telling your neighbor or even your parents. Some women will let their best friends or sisters in on the secret while others have to wait. No matter what your preference is, it is just that; your own choice.
If you are very worried about miscarriage, you can ask your midwife or OB/Gyn for an ultrasound. Studies have shown that if a beating heart is detected during the 8th or 9th week of pregnancy, the risk of miscarriage is low (below 2%), at least for pregnant women who are not bleeding and have not experienced repeated miscarriages before. You can learn more about miscarriage statistics by week here.
Week Pregnancy 9 Video
Diary of a Daughter
The nausea is quite bad now, I’m practically nauseated all the time.
Are you also 9 weeks pregnant? Please share your experiences and thoughts by leaving a comment below!
More about the 1st trimester
MayoClinic (2011), Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
Joanne Stone MD and Keith Eddleman MD (2008) The Pregnancy Bible: Your Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Early Parenthood
Nilsson, L; Hamberger, L. (2004) A Child Is Born.
Soderberg, L. (2010) Mammapraktika. B Wahlstroms.
Image: Image of 9 weeks belly by Mylissa