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The eighth month of pregnancy covers weeks 31–35. Details of baby's growth and development appear below.

Week 31
At 31 weeks, the fetal brain may develop the areas responsible for speech and language [1]. The brain stem may be highly developed, including the pons and the reticular activating system [2]. The pons regulates processes like breathing and regulating brain activity during sleep [3]. The reticular activating system is responsible for actions like focusing one’s attention and arousal [4].

Week 32
At 32 weeks, the fetus continues gaining fat. White fat makes up about 8% of the fetus’s body weight and contributes to a plumper appearance [6].

Lanugo begins to fall off [7]. The toenails are fully developed [6].

In male fetuses, the testes descend [6].

Babies born from 32 weeks to 36 weeks and 6 days are considered “moderate to late preterm” [8].

Week 33
At 33 weeks, the fetus's once reddish skin becomes pinker due to a growing layer of fat [9].

As the auditory system develops, the fetus starts processing more complex sounds [10].

The sucking reflex appears around this time [11].

The frequency of fetal breathing movements, which has been increasing, will remain constant throughout the rest of the pregnancy [12].

Week 34
At 34 weeks, the fingernails are long enough to reach the end of the fetus’s fingers [6].

The intestines contain a tarry and greenish-black substance called meconium [9]. Meconium contains substances from the amniotic fluid, including secretions and epithelial cells from the intestines, lanugo hairs, and mucus [13].

By this point, babies born prematurely have a much better chance of survival [6].

Month 35
At 35 weeks, the fetus starts to coordinate sucking and swallowing [14]. Fat increases all over [7].

Within a 60- to 90-minute window, fetal breathing and body movements occur for 20 to 60 minutes [15].

The auditory system has developed to the point where the fetus can differentiate between sounds of different frequencies [16].

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References:
1. Chi JG, Dooling EC, Gilles FH. Left-right asymmetries of the temporal speech areas of the human fetus. Arch Neurol. 1977;34: 346–348.
2. Okai T, Kozuma S, Shinozuka N, Kuwabara Y, Mizuno M. A study on the development of sleep-wakefulness cycle in the human fetus. Early Hum Dev. 1992;29: 391–396.
3. Spielman RM, Dumper K, Jenkins W, Lacombe A, Lovett M, Perlmutter M. The brain and spinal cord. Psychology - H5P Edition. BCcampus; 2021.
4. Arguinchona JH, Tadi P. Neuroanatomy, Reticular Activating System. StatPearls Publishing; 2021.
5. Buss C, Davis EP, Class QA, Gierczak M, Pattillo C, Glynn LM, et al. Maturation of the human fetal startle response: evidence for sex-specific maturation of the human fetus. Early Hum Dev. 2009;85: 633–638.
6. Moore KL, Persaud TVN, Torchia MG. The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2016.
7. Harms R, Wick M, editors. Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. Boston: Da Capo; 2011.
8. March of Dimes, PMNCH, Save the Children, WHO. Born too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth. Howson CP, Kinney MV, Lawn JE, editors. WHO; 2012.
9. Betts JG, Young KA, Wise JA, Johnson E, Poe B, Kruse DH, et al. 28.3 Fetal Development. Anatomy & Physiology. Houston: OpenStax; 2013.
10. Kisilevsky S, Hains SMJ, Jacquet AY, Granier-Deferre C, Lecanuet JP. Maturation of fetal responses to music. Dev Sci. 2004;7: 550–559.
11. Yoo H, Mihaila DM. Rooting Reflex. StatPearls Publishing; 2022.
12. Tatsumura M. Studies on features of fetal movement and development of human fetus with use of fetal actogram. Nihon Sanka Fujinka Gakkai Zasshi. 1991;43: 864–873.
13. Dandale AU, Bava AK, Shinde NR. A study of maternal and fetal outcome in meconium-stained amniotic fluid-a prospective hospital-based study. Int J of Repro, Contraception, Ob and Gyn. 2021;10: 4499+.
14. Lipchock SV, Reed DR, Mennella JA. The gustatory and olfactory systems during infancy: implications for development of feeding behaviors in the high-risk neonate. Clin Perinatol. 2011;38: 627–641.
15. Patrick J, Natale R, Richardson B. Patterns of human fetal breathing activity at 34 to 35 weeks’ gestational age. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1978;132: 507–513.
16. Shahidullah S, Hepper PG. Frequency discrimination by the fetus. Early Hum Dev. 1994;36: 13–26.

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Produced and written by: Samantha Lattof, PhD MSc
Medically reviewed by: Ayodeji Olelakan Abere, MD MBA MHA
Animation by: SciePro/Pond5
Music from: Envato Elements
Narration by: Ava/Wellsaid

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