Illustration of a baby at week 8 inside the womb in cross-section, with the umbilical cord and yolk sac — Womb in cross-section, enlarged to show detail. Not true size.

First trimester, week 8

8 weeks pregnant: First wiggles

Size of a: Raspberry
Length: 1.6 cm crown to rump
Weight: 1 g approximate
Heart rate: 140–170 bpm typical range
Due date: 224 days away 20% of the way

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Checked against the sources listed on this page. Not reviewed by a clinician. Last updated 5 November 2026. How we check.

At 8 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a raspberry: roughly 1.6 cm from crown to rump, weighing about 1 g. You’re in your first trimester, with about 32 weeks to go until your due date.

Your baby this week

Fingers are starting to show as ridges in the hand plates, and elbows have formed.
The first spontaneous movements begin. They are small twitches that you won’t feel for months.
The upper lip, the tip of the nose and the outer ears are taking shape. The tail is shrinking.

Your body this week

Nausea often peaks between weeks 8 and 11.
Your breasts may feel full and tender, and the veins on them may look more visible.
Many first prenatal visits happen now, with blood tests, blood pressure, urine and dating.

Typical weight gain so far: 0.3–1.2 kg
Your uterus: About the size of a lemon

Weight gain range is for a pre-pregnancy BMI of 18.5–24.9 (IOM guideline). Your provider may advise differently.

What happens at your first appointment

In the UK this is called the booking appointment. It usually happens between 8 and 12 weeks and takes about an hour, so it’s longer than most later visits. A partner or someone else can come with you.

Expect questions about your health, past pregnancies, family history and how you’re feeling emotionally, along with blood pressure, a urine test and blood tests. You’ll also be asked about risk factors for gestational diabetes, and you’ll hear about the screening tests you can choose.

If this is your first baby, the NHS plans for at least 10 appointments and 2 scans. If you’ve given birth before, it’s at least 7 appointments. Schedules differ between countries, so follow the plan your own team gives you.

Worried about miscarriage at 8 weeks?

It’s a very common worry. A major review in The Lancet put the risk at about 15 in 100 recognised pregnancies, and ACOG says about 10 in 100 known pregnancies. The figures differ because of how they count. The chance increases with age, especially from 35.

It is usually a random event and almost never anyone’s fault. About half of early losses happen because the embryo doesn’t develop properly, often because of an abnormal number of chromosomes. ACOG says working, exercising, stress, arguments and having sex don’t cause miscarriage, and neither does morning sickness. Smoking, alcohol and a lot of caffeine are among the factors that can raise the risk. Most people who have a miscarriage go on to have a successful pregnancy.

Tell your midwife or doctor about any bleeding or strong pain, so you can be assessed. Read how the risk changes week by week.

Scans, tests and checkups

This week

First prenatal visit & bloodwork Checkup
Health history, blood pressure, urine, blood type and Rh factor, blood count, and infection screening (hepatitis B, HIV, syphilis, rubella immunity). The UK aims to see you by 10 weeks.
This week

Early / dating ultrasound Ultrasound
Confirms the pregnancy is in the uterus, sees the heartbeat, counts babies and dates the pregnancy. Often part of the first visit or combined with the 12-week scan.
From week 10

NIPT (cell-free DNA blood test) Blood test
A blood test that screens for Down syndrome (trisomy 21), trisomies 18 and 13, and can report sex chromosomes. It is a screening test. A high-chance result is confirmed with CVS or amniocentesis.

Baby’s sex: Sex from ~10 weeks, typically >98–99% accurate
From week 10

CVS (chorionic villus sampling) Diagnostic
Diagnostic test on a tiny placenta sample, offered after a high-chance screening result or known family condition. The NHS gives the miscarriage risk as less than 1 in 200 for most pregnancies. The UK usually does it at 11–14 weeks.

Baby’s sex: Diagnostic, only done for medical reasons
From week 11

NT scan / 12-week scan Ultrasound
Measures the fluid at the back of the baby’s neck (nuchal translucency). Combined with blood hormones, it estimates the chance of chromosomal conditions. The window is about 11 weeks to 13 weeks 6 days.

See the full scan and test timeline

Real size, next to an adult hand

Adult hand 18.5 cmbaby 1.6 cm

Growth curve

Typical weight by week: WHO median from week 20, approximate before that. Healthy babies vary widely.

When to call your midwife or doctor at 8 weeks

Call your midwife, doctor or maternity unit straight away, day or night, if you have any of these:

Vaginal bleeding, with or without cramps.
Strong pain low on one side of your belly, pain at the tip of your shoulder, or feeling faint. These can be signs of an ectopic pregnancy, which needs urgent care.
Being sick so often that you can’t keep fluids down for a day.
Fever of 38 °C (100.4 °F) or higher, or pain or burning when you pee.
Pain or swelling in one leg, chest pain, or sudden shortness of breath. These can be signs of a blood clot.
Feeling very low, hopeless or anxious most days. If you feel you might harm yourself, get emergency help.

Based on NHS and ACOG guidance. This list isn’t complete. If something feels wrong, call anyway. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

Tip for this week

Write down every medicine, supplement and question before your first appointment. Include family health history from both parents.

Myth or fact?

Do you need to eat for two when pregnant?

Myth

No. The NHS says there’s no need to “eat for 2”. US guidance suggests no extra calories in the first trimester, about 340 extra a day in the second, and about 450 in the third.

Read the evidence

Common questions at this stage

All common questions

More myths around week 8

Questions people ask about week 8

Can I feel the baby move at 8 weeks?

No. The baby does start to move around now, but the movements are far too small to feel. Movements are usually first felt between 16 and 24 weeks, and often after 20 weeks in a first pregnancy.

What happens at the first prenatal appointment?

Usually a health history, blood pressure, urine test and blood tests (blood type and Rh factor, anaemia and infections such as hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis). You may also get a dating ultrasound and information about screening options.

References

Advice differs between countries, so follow your own care team’s plan. Weights from week 20 are the WHO median, and earlier weights are approximate. How we check this.