What pregnancy week 8 means
First prenatal visit window. “8 weeks pregnant” means 8 weeks have passed since the first day of the last menstrual period — the standard way pregnancy is dated. Conception usually happened about two weeks after that date, so the baby’s own age (fetal age) is roughly 6 weeks. Week 8 runs from 8 weeks 0 days to 8 weeks 6 days; on the following day the pregnancy is 9 weeks.
Your baby at 8 weeks
Fingers and toes are starting to separate, and the arms can bend at the elbow. The tail-like end of the embryo is disappearing, and the face looks more defined, with an upper lip and the tip of the nose forming.
A common way to picture it: the baby is now about the size of a raspberry — roughly about 1.6 cm. These are averages; babies grow at different rates, and ultrasound measurements vary.
Your body at 8 weeks
Your uterus has grown to roughly the size of a large orange, though it is not usually visible from the outside yet. Clothes may feel tighter around the waist because of bloating.
Care and appointments around week 8
Many first prenatal appointments happen somewhere between 8 and 10 weeks. They often include a health history, blood tests and sometimes a dating ultrasound to confirm the estimated due date.
The timing of tests and appointments differs between countries and care providers. If anything worries you — such as bleeding, severe pain, fluid leaking, fever — contact your midwife, doctor or maternity unit straight away rather than waiting for your next appointment.
Week 8 in your pregnancy timeline
Week 8 is in the first trimester (weeks 1–13) and in pregnancy month 2, which covers roughly weeks 5–8. The second trimester begins in 6 weeks.
| Pregnancy start (first day of last period) | |
|---|---|
| Estimated conception | |
| Second trimester begins (14 weeks) | |
| Third trimester begins (28 weeks) | |
| Full term (39 weeks) | |
| Estimated due date (40 weeks) |
Dates assume you are exactly 8 weeks 0 days today. For dates based on your own last period, use the calculator above or the main Pregnancy Calculator.
8 weeks pregnant in days and months
8 weeks is 56 days of pregnancy — 20% of a 40-week pregnancy. Counted in calendar months, 8 weeks is about 1.8 months, which is usually described as month 2 of pregnancy. Months are only a rough grouping; healthcare professionals almost always talk in weeks and days because they are more precise. See Pregnancy Month Calculator for how weeks map to months.