The Miracle of an Unborn Baby’s Development

Real Alternatives reaches out to women and their families in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan to administer state-funded programs focused on pregnancy and parent education programs. The Harrisburg-based organization works through close to 100 centers in Pennsylvania and dozens of additional locations in the other two states. Real Alternatives’ services include distributing free pregnancy tests, offering compassionate and confidential counseling, and providing extensive connections to information on adoption. 

The organization supports its pro-life perspective by referencing current scientific information on the unfolding of an unborn baby’s development in the womb. 

The gender and genetic inheritance of a baby is determined at the moment of fertilization. As the baby’s body develops, it passes through three distinct trimesters.

In the first month of development, the baby already possesses the outline of a face. Nerve cells have begun to form, and circulation of the blood begins. During the initial trimester, the baby’s fingers, toes, and sense organs develop.

In the second trimester, a medical professional may be able to detect a heartbeat. The muscles and skeleton continue to strengthen, and the skin develops. The baby already has the ability to suck its fingers and can both hear and make swallowing movements. 

During the third trimester, the baby frequently responds to outside stimuli. It often moves frequently, and lungs, brain, and reflexes have become finely developed.