First trimester · Pregnancy week by week
Week 8 of pregnancy
Baby is the size of a kidney bean. About 0.60 inches, 1g.
Roughly 80% of women have their first prenatal visit by week 8. Black women are 7 percentage points less likely to attend; if you haven't been seen, this is the week, per CDC NCHS Data Brief 306. Source
What's happening with the baby
The embryo officially becomes a fetus this week. Limbs lengthen and have visible joints. Fingers and toes are webbed. The brain is increasingly complex. The placenta begins to take over hormone production from the corpus luteum.
What's happening for you
Symptoms generally continue at peak intensity. The uterus is now about the size of a tennis ball. Breasts may have grown a full cup size. Veins on the chest and breasts are more visible.
Common (normal) symptoms this week
Continued nausea, fatigue, breast growth and tenderness, frequent urination, food aversions, constipation, mild cramping, increased discharge.
Call your OB or 911 if
- Severe abdominal or one-sided pelvic pain with bleeding — possible ectopic pregnancy.
- Heavy vaginal bleeding (soaking a pad in an hour) with cramping.
- Fainting, severe dizziness, or shoulder-tip pain — ectopic with internal bleeding is an emergency.
- Fever over 101°F with chills or pelvic pain.
- Severe vomiting that prevents keeping any fluids down for 24+ hours (hyperemesis).
Why this week matters for Black families
The first trimester is when prenatal care begins, and the documented disparity in care begins here too. Black women are less likely to receive first-trimester prenatal care (78% vs. 88% for white women per the CDC). Establishing care early — before week 12 — is associated with lower complication rates across the rest of pregnancy. If you're newly pregnant and haven't been seen, call your OB or community health center this week. Adjunctive WIC eligibility means everyone enrolled in Medicaid is automatically eligible for WIC; that's a meaningful first-trimester decision (see WIC by state).
What to do this week
If you haven't had a first prenatal visit, schedule it this week. Most include an ultrasound to confirm dates, blood work (CBC, blood type, Rh factor, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B), urine analysis, and Pap smear if due. Discuss your medical history thoroughly — including any prior pregnancy losses, fibroid history (relevant for Black women specifically), or chronic hypertension.
References
- ACOG: Routine Tests During Pregnancy.
- CDC NCHS: Timing and Adequacy of Prenatal Care, 2018.
Last medically reviewed: .
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