FETAL DEVELOPMENT

Four Weeks Gestation

The ball of cells in your womb has
developed into an embryo.
Its only the size of apoppy seed.
Cells migrate to an area known as
the primitive streak.
These form into three layers that will
later become baby's organs and
tissues.
 In the top layer, (neural tube) form the
babysbrain, backbone, spinal cord and
nerves. Skin, hair and nails will also
develop from this layer.
The middle layer is where the skeleton and
muscles grow, and where the heart and
circulatory system will form.
The third layer houses the beginnings of
what will become the lungs, the intestines
and the urinary system.
 FIVE WEEKS OF GESTATION
baby measures about 0.5cm (0.2in), about the
size of asesame seed.
She won't have abumpjust yet, but big
changes are occurring inside her womb
(uterus). The neural tube, which will connect
baby's brain and spinal cordhas now formed.
Babys tiny heart is the first organ to develop
and function. Although it only has one chamber
at the moment, rather than the final four of a
fully developed heart, its already beating at
the rate of about 100 beats a minute.
 The buds or bumps, that will grow
into babys arms begin to sprout. And
below the opening that will form his
mouth, small folds exist where his
neck and lower jaw will eventually
develop.
5 th week
 SIX WEEK OF GESTATION
Baby is about thesize of a lentil. Her heart is
beginning to separate into four chambers and
is now beating about 150 times a minute.
Babys head is larger than the trunk of her
body, and is bent over onto what will become
her chest. Her facial features are forming,
with dark spots where hereyeswill be,
openings for her nostrils, and little pits to
mark her ears. Her tongue and vocal chords
are also beginning to form.
 The small buds that will become arms and legs are just
beginning to sprout. Her muscle and bone tissue is
building up and covered with a thin layer of skin. It is so
thin that we can see through it.
Babys neural tube forms brain, spinal cord, nerves and
backbone will sprout, is developing too. A hollow in the
neural tube, closes and forms four cavities in the brain
called the ventricular system. These cavities help to
produce fluid that will protect babys developing brain
and spinal cord.Folic acid, which recommended to take
as a supplement until 12 weeks pregnant, helps to
prevent abnormalities in the neural tube as it develops.
6 TH WEEK OF GESTATION
 7 TH WEEK OF GESTATION
baby is about the size of a blue berry. Has
a tiny tail, an extension of his tailbone
(coccyx) that will soon disappear.
Cartilage is forming in all babys limbs,
and nerves are spreading through his legs.
His arms are lengthening, and his
shoulders, upper arms, forearms and
hands are becoming more distinct. we
won't feel it yet, but his body is like a tiny
jumping bean.
 Babys brain will grow by a third this week. His
teeth and palate are forming and his ears are
developing on either side of his head. His eyes are
still in the early stage of development, but already
translucent folds are forming tiny eyelids.
Babys brain will grow by a third this week. His
teeth and palate are forming and his ears are
developing on either side of his head. His eyes are
still in the early stage of development, but already
translucent folds are forming tiny eyelids.
7 TH WEEK OF GESTATION
 8 TH WEEKS OF GESTATION
She now measures about 1.6cm (0.6in) in length, about the
size of akidney bean. Her facial features are slowly
becoming more defined as upper jaw and nose take shape.
Nerve cells in baby'sbrainare branching out to form early
neural pathways. The part of the brain responsible for
sense of smellis also taking shape.
Her arms are long enough for her hands to meet over her
chest and her legs are lengthening too and ankles, thighs,
knees and toes are not yet distinct. Her embryonic tail is
almost gone, and the area where it was will become
tailbone(coccyx).
8 TH WEEK
 9 TH WEEK OF GESTATION
Baby's embryonic tail now gone, looking a bit more human.
By the end of this week measure about 2.3cm (0.9in) long
and weigh about 2g. This is roughly the size of agrape.
Baby's tiny earlobes are now defined, and hair follicles are
starting to form. In his mouth, the first small tastebuds are
beginning to emerge on his tongue, and bulb-shaped buds
in his gums will soon become milk teeth.
It's not possible to tell thesexof baby byultrasounduntil
after 15 weeks, his genitals have now begun to form. His
ankles and wrists are more developed, his fingers and toes
are clearly defined, and his arms can bend at the elbows.
Until this point, ovaries have been in charge of producing
progesterone, a hormone that's essential for growing baby.
However, placentahas now developed enough to start
making hormones of its own. It's also working hard to
absorb oxygen and nutrients from your blood, and deliver
9 TH WEEK
 10 TH WEEK OF GESTATION
Baby is about the size of agreen olive. measuresabout
3.1cm from head to bottom (crown to rump) and weighs
nearly 4g. Her forehead is temporarily bulging, the outer part
of her ear is fully developed and her chin is no longer bent
down to her chest. Her eyelids are fused shut, and won't
open until after 27 weeks of pregnancy.
Baby has a fully-developed heart, which is now beating about
three times faster than ours. Her tiny fingers have nails, and
her arms and legs can rotate at the shoulder and hip joints.
The muscles in her tummy are taking shape. She may be
small, but she's very active, kickingher new limbs.
The yolk sac, which provided baby with nutrients before the
placenta developed, is beginning to shrink now.
10 TH WEEK
 11 WEEK OF GESTATION
Measuring from head to bottom (crown to rump), baby is now
about 4.1cm. His veins and arteries are developing, and are
visible under his thin layer of skin.
Baby's mouth is almost formed. The bones of his palate are
fusing togetherand the first tiny buds of hismilk teethare
growing in his gums.
Baby's eyes may still be closed, but he's far from asleep.
He's busy flexing his muscles by impulsively
kicking and stretching, although he's too small for to feel
these movements. His fingers and toes, which were once
webbed, are now fully separated.
11 TH WEEK
 12 TH WEEK OF GESTATION
Baby is about 5.4cm (2.1in) from head to bottom (crown to
rump), the size of alime, and weighs up to 14g. Her
skeleton is made of firm tissue called cartilage, which will
now begin to develop into bone. This hardening process
takes a long time. In fact, her bones won't be fully
developed until she's in her twenties.
Baby is starting to look more human every day. Her eyes
have moved closer together and her tiny earlobes are
taking shape. She's also gaining some of the skills she'll
need after she's born. She can close her fingers to make a
fist and use the muscles in her mouth to suck.
Now baby's reflexes are becoming more honed, she'll
wriggle a little if you gently prod belly. You won't feel her
movements yet.
12 TH WEEK
 13 TH WEEK OF GESTATION
Baby is now thelength of a pea pod, about 7.4cm. His head makes up a
third of his body length. This week, the part of his brain responsible for
complex thoughts, such as problem solving and memory, starts to form.
Baby are forming on his fingers, although they won't be fully developed
until he's about 17 weeks. Now hes discovered how to suck, hell be busy
practising his new skills. He may even be sucking his thumb.
baby is beginning to swallow amniotic fluid. The fluid is mostly water, but
it also contains nutrients that baby absorbs, including carbohydrates,
protein, glucose and electrolytes. Any remaining fluid is turned into urine
by his kidneys, which he will wee back into the amniotic fluid.
If your baby's aboy, his testicles have now formed, and his penis is
growing. If you're having agirl, her ovaries have finished developing and
contain about two million eggs.
13 TH WEEK
 14 TH WEEK OF GESTATION
Baby is about 8.7cm and weighs around 43g. She's
roughly the size of alemon.
Fine hair called lanugo is starting to appear on baby's
head and body. It's thought that lanugo helps to
regulate your baby's temperature. It will start to fall out
about four weeks before she's due, although you may
see traces of it whenshe's born.
Baby is now moving her arms and legs in a more
coordinated way. You may see her kick her legs or even
wave during scan.
She's also beginning to make slow eye movements
under her closed lids.
14 TH WEEK
 15 TH WEEK
Baby measures nearly 10.1cm from head to
bottom (crown to rump) and weighs about 70g.
He's using his swallowing and sucking abilities
to breathe in amniotic fluid, which is good
practice for his developing lungs.
Baby's eyes are still shut, but they're now
becoming sensitive to light. His hearing abilities
are developing too. By the end of this week, he
can probablyhearyour heart beating and your
tummy gurgling. He may even hear the muffled
sound of your voice.
15 TH WEEK
 16 TH WEEK
baby is now about 11.6cm, about the
size of an avocado. She weighs about 100g.
next three weeks she'll go through a tremendous
growth spurt, more than doubling herweight. As
baby grows in size, so does the placenta, which
helps to support and nourish her.
baby's circulatory system is in full working
order. Her heart is pumping about 28 litres (49
pints) of blood around her tiny body every day.
16 TH WEEK
 17 TH WEEK OF GESTATION
Baby is now nearly 13cm and weighs about 140g. His unique
fingerprints have now finished forming, and hishearingis
improving every day. If you play music, your baby may even
move around in your womb (uterus).
A white fatty substance called myelin is slowly wrapping
around baby's spinal cord. Myelin is important, as it helps
speed up messages between baby'sbrainand the nerves
around his body. It also provides protection and insulation to
his nerves.
As he gets bigger, the umbilical cord, his lifeline to placenta,
is growing stronger and thicker.
17 TH WEEK
 18 TH WEEK OF GESTATION
Baby is about 14.2cm and weighs up to 190g. Her ears
are in their final position and stand out from her head.
She also has little eyebrows starting to appear, and she
can twitch the muscles around her closed eyes.
A mid-pregnancy ultrasound scan, called an
anomaly scan, is usually done between 18 weeks and
21 weeks. So get a glimpse of baby kick, flex, reach and
even roll.
If a girl, baby's vagina, womb (uterus) and fallopian
tubes are in place. If you're having a boy, his penis will
be distinct and his testicles will have started to descend
from his pelvis to his scrotum.
18 TH WEEK