Week 8 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside

British Columbia Specific Information

If you have any questions or concerns about pregnancy, labour and baby care speak with your health care provider or contact HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 to speak with a registered nurse anytime of the day or night, any day of the year, or a pharmacist from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

You can also read Baby's Best Chance (PDF 14.88 MB), a parent’s handbook on pregnancy and baby care.

You can also access SmartParent, a Canadian prenatal education program that provides trustworthy educational text messages to help guide you through the weeks of your pregnancy.

On this page:

Overview

Pregnancy can be exciting, mysterious, and exhausting. During pregnancy, your body does a ton of work to support the growth of your baby. And even though you can't feel it yet, your baby is growing and changing very fast.

Wondering what your baby looks like at 8 weeks? Your baby is about 22 mm (1 in) in length.

How your baby is changing

Here are some of the important facts and developments around 8 weeks.

  • At this stage, a baby is called an embryo. An embryo starts out looking like a tiny seed, and then like a tadpole with a tail.
  • At 6 weeks of pregnancy, embryos have the beginnings of a brain, eyes, ears, heart, lungs, liver, and other organs. They have tiny bumps where their arms and legs will grow.
  • By 8 weeks of pregnancy, embryos have webbed fingers and arms that bend at the elbow. Their legs and feet will take a little more time to grow. Their muscles will soon start working. Their heart and brain have divided into their major parts.

Credits

Adaptation Date: 9/15/2023

Adapted By: HealthLink BC

Adaptation Reviewed By: HealthLink BC