First trimester · Pregnancy week by week
Week 9 of pregnancy
Baby is the size of a green olive. About 0.90 inches, 2g.
By week 9, the fetus develops permanent kidneys. Black women have higher rates of pre-existing kidney disease, which dramatically affects pregnancy risk; baseline kidney testing in early pregnancy is recommended. Source
What's happening with the baby
The fetus has elbows that bend, fingers and toes that have separated, and the beginning of taste buds. The reproductive organs are starting to form (though sex isn't visible on ultrasound yet). Permanent kidneys appear.
What's happening for you
Many women still have intense symptoms. Some begin to feel slightly better. Hair and nails may grow faster. Mood remains volatile. Some women notice acne or skin changes from hormones.
Common (normal) symptoms this week
Nausea (often peaking), fatigue, breast tenderness, increased vaginal discharge, mild cramping, occasional dizziness, vivid dreams.
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
NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) can be ordered from week 9 onward. It screens for chromosomal conditions and can reveal sex if you want. CVS (chorionic villus sampling) is offered between 10–13 weeks for diagnostic testing. If you have a personal or family history of sickle cell disease, discuss testing the partner this week — combined trait status carries 25% risk per pregnancy.
References
- ACOG Committee Opinion 731 — Cell-Free DNA Screening.
- ACOG Practice Bulletin 224 — Kidney Disease in Pregnancy.
Last medically reviewed: .
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