What is happening in week 8
Doctors count pregnancy weeks from the first day of your last period, so week 8 sits in the first trimester (up to the end of week 13). That is about 32 weeks to go until week 40, and about 1.8 months by a rough conversion. At about 16mm, around week 8 the embryo is called a foetus and its arms are growing longer than its legs.
Your baby
The NHS guide gives a length of about 16mm, roughly a raspberry, and says the embryo now becomes a foetus. The head has started to uncurl, the arms are longer than the legs because the upper body grows faster, and the placenta is branching so it can attach to the womb wall.
Your body
Bloating, slightly swollen breasts, tiredness and sickness are common. You may need to pee more often as the womb presses on the bladder. If this disturbs your sleep, the NHS suggests drinking more during the day and less in the evening.
This week’s to-do
- Contact your doctor or midwife for your booking appointment, which the NHS says usually takes place between weeks 8 and 12.
- Rest as much as you can and try about 6 small, healthy meals a day.
- Consider mindfulness or talking to someone if worries are building up.
When to call
Call your doctor or hospital if you have any bleeding, or if you are worried about an infection that could affect the baby.
Chaitanya Hospital in Kadapa, near RTC Bus Stand, Simhapuri Colony, provides delivery and emergency care 24/7. Our antenatal check-ups team can answer questions about your own pregnancy.
Use the week-by-week guide to jump to your week, or the due date calculator to work out your dates. Timings for scans and tests come from NHS guidance in the UK and can differ from your doctor’s schedule, so always follow your own doctor’s advice. This page is educational and not a substitute for a doctor.
Sources
Text on this page is paraphrased from the sources above. Sizes are averages and vary between babies.