Your baby

From 10 weeks, your baby is called a fetus. They are about 3.5cm long – around the size of a prune – and weight about 8g. The tadpole-like tail has disappeared.

All of the organs have formed but they aren’t working yet. The ears are developing and the nostrils are in place above the upper lip. The jaw bones already include all the milk teeth.

The baby has internal sex organs, their ovaries or testicles, but the external sex organs still haven’t developed. The brain is active and has brain waves. The heart has 4 separate chambers and is beating at about 180 beats per minute, 3 times faster than an adult heart.

The arms and legs have grown longer, and the baby has tiny fingers and toes. Their ankles, wrists, knees and elbows are forming.

Your baby at 10 weeks

Length:	3.5cm
Weight:	8g

Your body

Your womb (uterus) is now about the size of an orange. You may find your clothes are tighter and your stomach may be sticking out, but this can be due to changes in your bowel rather than your pregnancy.

Many women feel vulnerable and emotional when they are pregnant. This is completely normal. You may also be more hungry than usual. Try not to fill yourself up with unhealthy food – choose nutritious snacks as part of a healthy diet while you’re pregnant.

Things to remember

You may have already had an ultrasound scan to confirm your due date, but a dating scan is normally done at around 10 weeks.

From 10 weeks you can start thinking about prenatal screening. One screening test you can have now is a non-invasive prenatal test, or NIPT, to screen for Down syndrome and certain other abnormalities in the baby. This is a simple, very accurate blood test, but it’s quite expensive and it’s not for everyone. Most women who want to screen for Down syndrome have combined first trimester screening a little later in the pregnancy.

You do not have to have screening. It depends on your age, history and unique circumstances. Talk to your doctor or genetic counsellor about the best screening tests for you.

Read next

Your pregnancy at 11 weeks

Learn about your pregnancy journey and what is happening to you and your baby.

Read morePregnancy at week 11

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.