Which term describes the moment when a pregnant person first feels the fetus moving?

• A. Viability
• B. Embryo
• C. Quickening
• D. Fetus

Answer: (C)

Quickening describes the moment the pregnant person first perceives fetal movement. This fluttering or light kicking sensation typically appears in the second trimester, often around 18–20 weeks in a first pregnancy and a bit earlier in subsequent pregnancies. It marks a subjective sign of fetal life and helps date the pregnancy, though it isn’t a precise measure of viability or health. The other terms refer to different concepts: viability is about the fetus’s chance of surviving outside the womb with medical help, an embryo is the early developmental stage, and a fetus is the later developmental stage but does not denote the moment of feeling movement.