Pregnancy Week By Week

8 Weeks Pregnant: Development, Symptoms and Care

At 8 weeks pregnant, nausea and fatigue can take up a surprising amount of the day. You may need to wee more often or find your breasts uncomfortable. Symptoms differ between people and pregnancies, so there is no single version of how this week should feel.

How 8 weeks is counted

Pregnancy weeks are usually counted from the first day of your last period, not conception. With a typical 28-day cycle, 8 weeks pregnant is roughly 6 weeks after conception. Cycle variation can change this estimate.

Your baby’s development at 8 weeks

The hands and developing fingers are becoming more distinct, while the face, inner ears and mouth continue to form. The placenta is still developing. These changes happen gradually; they are not milestones every pregnancy reaches on the same calendar day. There is no need to compare a scan image with a diagram to decide whether development is on track.

Body changes and symptoms

Nausea, tiredness and frequent trips to the toilet can continue this week. Some people feel quite well. Your symptoms may not match a friend’s experience, and they cannot provide a day-by-day measure of the baby’s health.

You may notice sensitive or bleeding gums. Keep brushing gently with a soft toothbrush and flossing, and arrange dental care if needed. Let the dentist know you are pregnant. If vomiting is frequent, ask for advice about both symptom treatment and protecting your teeth.

Looking after yourself this week

Small meals, drinks you can tolerate and help with cooking may make nausea easier to manage. If these adjustments are not enough, contact your care team. Severe nausea and vomiting are treatable health problems; you do not need to wait until you are dehydrated to ask for help.

Keep taking the supplements recommended for you. If tablets are difficult to tolerate, ask your pharmacist or clinician about alternatives. Check before changing prescribed medicines. Make room for rest where possible, and discuss anxiety or low mood that is affecting your life.

Appointments, scans and choices ahead

By now, it is useful to have your first appointment booked or completed. Check that any blood or urine results have a follow-up plan and that referrals have reached the service you expect to use.

A dating ultrasound may be offered in the first trimester, depending on your circumstances. It helps estimate gestational age, but your clinician should explain what your particular scan can assess and whether another scan is needed. There is no guarantee of a specific finding simply because an app says you are 8 weeks pregnant.

Ask about screening options before their testing windows arrive. For example, non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) can be done from 10 weeks. It is optional screening, not a diagnosis. Discuss costs, possible results and next steps in our guide to prenatal tests and with your care team.

When to seek medical help

In Australia, call 000 for severe abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, fainting, collapse or feeling very unwell. Go to an emergency department immediately for shoulder-tip pain, one-sided or worsening lower abdominal pain, or dizziness. An ectopic pregnancy can cause internal bleeding without heavy vaginal bleeding. Do not wait for a positive test or your next appointment. Do not drive yourself if faint or unwell.

Contact your GP or midwife straight away for other bleeding or cramps. Seek urgent medical help if vomiting means you cannot keep fluids down, or you have fever. If your usual clinician is unavailable, seek urgent care rather than waiting.

Read more about bleeding in early pregnancy and possible miscarriage symptoms. Symptoms need assessment; they do not establish a diagnosis on their own.