What is the fetal development like in early pregnancy

We women must take good care of our bodies during pregnancy and go to the hospital regularly for comprehensive check-ups. In the early stages of pregnancy, we all want to know what our baby looks like in the belly. Life is very magical, so what is the fetal development like in the early stages of pregnancy? Let’s take a closer look at it below.

Pregnancy is a complex process. After the egg is fertilized, it enters the uterine cavity, and the embryo and its appendages grow and develop rapidly until they mature. There will be different changes in each week of pregnancy. The first 8 weeks of pregnancy are called the embryo, which is the period of differentiation and development of the main organs of the fetus. From the 9th week of pregnancy, the fetus is called the fetus, which is the period of further development and maturity of various organs. In the early stages of pregnancy, the little life in the belly is still a gestational sac. At 6 weeks, its diameter is about 2 cm, and at 10 weeks it is about 5 cm.

You should know that pregnancy time is counted from the first day of the last menstrual period, and the actual development time of the embryo is after the fertilized egg implants, which is usually after ovulation. So counting from the last menstrual period, it should be around the 4th week. The specific development process is as follows

4 weeks of pregnancy: The size cannot be determined at this time because the fertilized egg has just implanted and the amniotic cavity has just been formed, so the volume is very small. Ultrasound cannot show clear signs of pregnancy.

5 weeks of pregnancy: The embryo grows to 0.4 cm and enters the embryonic period. The amniotic cavity expands and primitive cardiovascular system appears, which may pulsate. B-ultrasound can show a small gestational sac, which occupies less than 1/4 of the uterine cavity, or a fetal bud can be seen.

6 weeks of pregnancy: The embryo grows to 0.85 cm, the fetal head, brain alveoli, facial organs, respiratory, digestive, nervous and other organs are differentiated, the fetal sac is clearly visible on B-ultrasound, and the fetal bud and fetal heartbeat are seen.

7 weeks of pregnancy: The embryo grows to 1.33 cm. It has the rudiments of a human being, with all the body segments differentiated, the limbs separated, and all systems further developed. B-ultrasound clearly shows the embryo and fetal heartbeat, and the gestational sac occupies about 1/3 of the uterine cavity.

8 weeks of pregnancy: The embryo grows to 1.66 cm. The fetal shape is determined and the head, body and limbs can be distinguished. The head is larger than the trunk. B-ultrasound shows that the gestational sac occupies about 1/2 of the uterine cavity, the fetal shape and fetal movement are clearly visible, and the yolk sac can be seen.

9 weeks of pregnancy: At this time, the fetus should be called a fetus. The fetus grows to 2.15 cm, the fetal head is larger than the fetal body, the various parts are clearer, the head begins to calcify, and the placenta begins to develop. B-ultrasound shows that the gestational sac almost fills the uterine cavity, the fetal outline is clearer, and the placenta begins to appear.

10th week of pregnancy: The fetus grows to 2.83 cm, all fetal organs have been formed, and the rudiments of the placenta are formed. B-ultrasound shows that the gestational sac begins to disappear, a crescent-shaped placenta is visible, and the fetus is active in the amniotic fluid.

11 weeks of pregnancy: The fetus grows to 3.62 cm, the fetal organs develop further, and the placenta develops. B-ultrasound showed that the gestational sac had completely disappeared and the placenta was clearly visible.

12 weeks of pregnancy: The fetus grows to 4.58 cm, the external genitalia begin to develop, any deformities will be revealed, and the skull calcification becomes more complete. The skull halo is clear, the biparietal diameter can be measured, obvious deformities can be diagnosed, and the internal organs tend to become more complete afterwards.

It turns out that the little life grows in the mother's belly in stages. Life is really magical. The development of the fetus in the early stages of pregnancy is as described above. We must go to the hospital for check-ups at any time during pregnancy. Only in this way can we know the condition of our baby at each stage and judge whether he is healthy.