Pregnancy Stages
Posted by Jacques on Jun 29, 2010 in Featured Articles, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Trimesters | 0 comments
A summary of the stages of pregnancy:
Each day there are changes happening. Here is just recap of what to expect during the pregnancy stages.
From conception to birth:
The ages in this time-line refer to the age of the foetus, and not the length of the pregnancy; in other words, 40 weeks from the first day of your last menstrual cycle. So, you may be 10 weeks when the embryo is 8 weeks old.
The pregnancy stages time-line:
Week 1 :
Size – Smaller than the head of a pin.
Looks like – A cluster of cells.
Whats happening – Zygote travels through the fallopian tube to implant itself in the uterus.
Week 2 :
Size – About 1mm, slightly larger than a pinhead.
Looks like – A cluster of cells.
Whats happening – The blastocyst is attached to uterine lining and starts differentiating into layers.
Week 3 :
Size – About 1,25mm long – the size of a small sesame seed.
Looks like – A larger cluster of cells.
Whats happening – The heart, brain, spinal cord, muscles and bones are stating to form.
Week 4 :
Size – 2 to 4 mm long – size of a large sesame seed.
Looks like – A tadpole, complete with head and tail.
Whats happening – Brain and spinal cord develop, eyes and limbs begin to form and heart starts beating.
Week 5 :
Size – 1,2cm long from crown to rump; about the size of a raisin.
Looks like – A tadpole with thick arm and leg buds.
Whats happening – Arms, legs, hands and feet continue to develop. The heart divides into two chambers, air passages form in lungs and the eyes take shape.
Week 6 :
Size – 1,2 to 3cm longs – approximately the size of a red bean.
Looks like – A tadpole with longer arms and legs; eyes nose and ears begin to show.
Whats happening – Fingers and toes develop and embryo starts to twitch and move.
Week 7 :
Size – 2 to 3cm long – about the size of an olive.
Looks like – Eyes, nose, mouth, toes, fingers and ears are clearly visible.
Whats happening – Head, neck toes, fingers and outer ears developing. Movement can be seen on ultrasound.
Week 8 :
Size – 3 to 4,5cm long – about the size of a walnut and weighs about 5g.
Looks like – Starting to resemble a baby with recognizable features.
Whats happening – Most organ systems growing quickly; reproductive tract yet to form.
Week 9 :
Size – 3,8 to 6,5cm long – roughly the same size as a large lime. Weighs about 8g.
Looks like – Head still disproportionately large, but limbs are catching up.
Whats happening – Head stretches upward from chest as neck grows longer, finger nails and external genitals start to appear.
Week 10 :
Size – 6,5cm long – Size of a small lemon and weighs between 8g and 14g.
Looks like – Body size starts catching up with head.
Whats happening – Most of the body is formed. Hair starts to grow, genitals becomes distinctly male or female. The foetus can squint, open its mouth and move its finger and toes.
Week 11 :
Size – 6,5cm to 7,5cm long – about the size of a tennis ball. Weighs about 13g to 20g.
Looks like – Face looks more like a human and genitals more clearly male or female.
Whats happening – Systems and organs continue to grow and develop.
Week 12 :
Size – 9 to 10cm long – roughly the same size as an orange. Weighs about 30g.
Looks like – Ears and eyes are in position, enhancing baby-like appearance.
Whats happening – All systems and organs continue to grow and develop; cartilage is transformed into bone.
Week 13 to 14 :
Size – 10cm to 11,5cm long – about the same size as a grapefruit. Weighs about 50g to 70g.
Looks like – Blood vessels are visible through the skin and fine hair called lanugo covers the body.
Whats happening – Bones are growing harder and stronger. The foetus can smell, taste and swallow, and may suck its thumb.
Week 17 to 19 :
Size – 13,3 to 18,5cm long – roughly the same size as a large banana. Weighs about 200g to 300g.
Looks like – Foetus starts plumping up.
Whats happening – Foetus can hear and begins to swallow more amniotic fluid to help the digestive system develop.
Week 23 to 25 :
Size – 22 to 27cm long – roughly the same size as a spanspek. Weighs about 700g to 1,3kg.
Looks like – Eyebrows, eyelashes and head hair are present; a little plumper.
Whats happening – Sleep and wake cycles are starting to take place; at about 24 weeks, appears to recognize parent’s voices. Has a chance of surviving if born now.
Week 29 to 33 :
Size – 30 to 35cm long, and 50cm if you count the legs – roughly the same size as a basketball. Weighs about 1,6kg to 2,5kg.
Looks like – Your baby would appear more chubbier.
Whats happening – Your baby will start moving around more often to get a comfortable position to settle; Lungs, among the last organs to fully develop, keep maturing.
Week 34 to 38 :
Size – 53 to 55cm long – roughly the same size as a medium watermelon. Weighs about 2,7kg to 3,5kg.
Looks like -Your baby is bigger and looks like a new born.
Whats happening – In 97% of pregnancies the baby will move into the delivery position; by week 37 lungs are fully developed and by week 38your baby is ready to be born.
For a more detailed pregnancy stages guide please visit the stages of pregnancy on this site…
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