Fetal Health and Development

Summary

A normal pregnancy lasts nine months. Each three-month period of pregnancy is called a trimester. During each trimester, the fetus grows and develops. Regular medical checkups and prenatal tests are very important. They can:

• Help keep you and your baby healthy
• Spot problems with your baby (if there are any). In some cases, health care professionals can treat the problem before your baby is born. But even when they cannot, it can still be helpful to know about the problem early on. That gives you time to learn about your baby’s condition and prepare for any challenges you may face after the baby is born.
• Prevent problems during delivery. For example, if your baby is breech (bottom first or feet first, instead of head first), you may need to have a Cesarean section to avoid complications.

Besides getting medical care, there are other things you can do to keep your baby as healthy as possible. It’s important not to drink or smoke. Try to eat a healthy diet and make sure to take care of any health problems you have during pregnancy.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Fetal Development National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Fetal Diseases National Institutes of Health

Find an Expert

• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
• Find an Ob-Gyn American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• March of Dimes Foundation March of Dimes Foundation

Patient Handouts

• Fetal development Medical Encyclopedia
• Intrauterine growth restriction Medical Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia

• Fetal echocardiography Medical Encyclopedia
• Hydrops fetalis Medical Encyclopedia

Diagnosis and Tests

• Fetal Echocardiography/Your Unborn Baby’s Heart American Heart Association
• Prenatal Testing: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine

Specifics

• Fetal Growth Restriction American Academy of Family Physicians
• Hydrops Fetalis/Erythroblastosis Fetalis Children’s Hospital and Health System, Inc.

Journal Articles

• Fetal Health and Development

Start Here

• Stages of Pregnancy Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health
• Your Baby’s Development: The First Trimester American Academy of Family Physicians
• Your Baby’s Development: The Second Trimester American Academy of Family Physicians
• Your Baby’s Development: The Third Trimester American Academy of Family Physicians

Related Issues

• What Are the Risks of Preeclampsia and Eclampsia to the Fetus? Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development