Development Week 27

Your baby continues to grow this week with more brain activity and the further development of the lungs. The eye lids will open and retinas will start to form now. Your baby looks similar to what she will look like at birth, except thinner and smaller. The lungs, liver and immune system still need to fully mature, but if your baby was born now, she would have at least an 85% chance of surviving.

Hearing Things
As your baby's hearing continues to develop, she may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner's. Sounds may be muffled, though, because the ears are still covered with vernix, the thick waxy coating that protects the skin from becoming chapped by the amniotic fluid.

27 Weeks Pregnant and Counting
You are now nearing the end of the 2nd trimester! You may be finding it hard to breathe now that your uterus has moved to under your ribcage. You may also start to consider taking maternity leave now.

This decision can be a very difficult one to make, but it is one that you should start to think about seriously. Another important decision that you should be considering is whether or not to bank your baby's umbilical cord blood.

Select a week of development to read detailed information:

Week 1	Week 11	Week 21	Week 31
Week 2	Week 12	Week 22	Week 32
Week 3	Week 13	Week 23	Week 33
Week 4	Week 14	Week 24	Week 34
Week 5	Week 15	Week 25	Week 35
Week 6	Week 16	Week 26	Week 36
Week 7	Week 17	Week 27	Week 37
Week 8	Week 18	Week 28	Week 38
Week 9	Week 19	Week 29	Week 39
Week 10	Week 20	Week 30	Week 40

Find out what to expect during the third trimester from other moms-to-be in our forum