Within 8 weeks the baby has a face, characteristics. It has all its internal organs. And its nervous system is already so developed that it can perform reflex actions such as movements away from cutaneous stimulation and squinting. It hiccups.

While I am weary of making this into an anti-abortion ad, I want you to note that this baby is still 16 weeks away from its right to life, as declared by the UK government and hundreds of thousands of woman each day. I don’t want to provoke anyone that is affected by this subject, and I am not criminalising or judging any woman who has made this decision. I do want to lovingly change people’s perspective when it comes to the sanctity of life.

By 16 weeks the baby can hear, breathe amniotic fluid, make facial expressions within the range grown adults and even has fingernails. By 24 weeks its brainwaves resemble those of a newborn child and it can recognise its mother’s voice.

There is so much beauty in this. A study has been conducted that shows, when a baby is face to face with its mother, their heartbeats synchronise to coincide with one another. Isn’t that just the most precious thing?

This is part of my friend Bethan Elysia Woodward’s blog post and I found it passionate, biblical and scientific – no mean task!  Read more of Bethan’s post, including a fascinating quote from the late Paul E Rockwell MD.

Quoted with kind permission from Bethan Elysia Woodward.