What is the fetal development like in the 8th week of pregnancy? What are the special things in the 8th week of pregnancy?

We all know that after a woman becomes pregnant, the fetus will continue to develop in the mother's belly. As the months go by, the pregnant mother will experience various symptoms, which are relatively normal physiological phenomena. So what is the development of the fetus like after 8 weeks of pregnancy? Let's take a closer look!

How is the fetus developing at 8 weeks of pregnancy?

In the 8th week, the baby's internal organs and brain have differentiated, and the hands, feet, eyes, mouth, ears and other organs have formed, but the head is large and the body is small, only 14-20 mm long and weighing about 4 grams, which is close to human form.

At this time, the fetus begins to develop rapidly, increasing by one millimeter in length every day, and this speed will continue until around the 20th week.

This week, the organs of the embryo have begun to have obvious characteristics. The upper jaw continues to develop, facial muscles begin to form, the cerebral cortex begins to appear, brain cells begin to develop, and the inner ear responsible for balance and hearing is forming, but the auditory nerve center is not yet fully developed. The intestine is very long, because there is not enough room to accommodate it, so it has to grow outside the abdominal cavity and is connected to the umbilical cord. The skin of the fetus is now as thin as paper, and the blood vessels are clearly visible.

In fact, it cannot be called a fetus at this time because it is still relatively small. It can only be called an embryo. Since the early embryonic development is not very complete and has not been fully differentiated, it is only about 15-20mm. However, because the physical condition of each pregnant woman is different, the size of the fetal bud is different, but we must also pay close attention to the situation and check the color ultrasound regularly.

What to pay attention to at 8 weeks of pregnancy

Don’t take medicine randomly

During this week, the baby's gonads and reproductive organs are being built, so expectant mothers should not take medicine casually, especially sex hormone drugs, so as to avoid deformities of the baby's reproductive organs.

Relax

Many expectant mothers have bad tempers in the early stages of pregnancy. Especially when the baby comes suddenly without any preparation, it interrupts the expectant mother's life rhythm. At this time, the mood is often complicated, and they feel an invisible pressure about the role of "mother". Therefore, they lose their temper easily. The expectant father should be more understanding and comforting, and should also pay attention to the mood changes of the expectant mother at any time, and try to make the expectant mother relax.

Nutritional needs of the fetus

Since it is still early in pregnancy, many expectant mothers have poor appetite, and may even feel nauseous and vomit, and do not want to eat, so they worry that the baby is not getting enough nutrition. In fact, the baby needs very little nutrition during this period. The nutrition stored by our body before pregnancy can meet the needs of the early fetus, so as long as it is not completely unable to eat, there is no need to worry about the baby.

Take rest

Especially in the early stages of pregnancy, the fetus is not fully developed and has not fully implanted, so signs of threatened abortion are likely to appear. Do not overwork yourself, get adequate rest, and only engage in activities when your body allows.

Dietary rules

Due to severe early pregnancy reactions in the early stages of pregnancy, many pregnant women have no appetite, and even feel nauseous and want to vomit when they smell food with pungent odors. Try to eat small, frequent meals, and light diets to reduce early pregnancy reactions.

Prenatal check-up

The development of the fetus in the early pregnancy is still unstable, so regular check-ups are required. If you feel uncomfortable, you should go to the hospital for examination in time. At the same time, if you experience abdominal pain or bleeding during this period, you should also go to the hospital for color ultrasound examination in time to see if the fetal development is normal.

In short, the early pregnancy is a very important period. Pregnant mothers must pay more attention and be careful. Don’t think that you have no problems and don’t take it lightly. This is wrong. You must do everything within your ability and don’t try to be stubborn to avoid unexpected situations.

What nutrients should be supplemented in 8 weeks of pregnancy

①Fat

Essential fatty acids help the formation and regeneration of the fetal brain and nervous system, such as deep-sea fish, nuts, milk and vegetable oils. It is best to eat marine fish three times a week, animal liver once, an egg and some nuts every day, vegetable oil for cooking, olive oil and sesame oil for salads, and camellia oil can also be used.

② Protein

The growth of all tissues and organs of the fetus cannot be separated from proteins containing essential amino acids. Proteins are divided into complete proteins and incomplete proteins. Meat, eggs and milk are complete protein foods, mainly derived from animals; grains, beans and vegetables are incomplete protein foods, mainly derived from plants. Therefore, if you want to take in all the essential amino acids, you should combine plant and animal foods for a reasonable combination. If there is no special need, you can eat it as usual.

③Carbohydrates

During pregnancy, you can eat cereal foods, potatoes, starch, beans and nuts, etc. It is best to eat less or no sucrose and sweets containing sucrose.

④ Calcium foods

During pregnancy, the calcium requirement is more than twice that before pregnancy, which is 1,600 mg/day. If calcium is deficient during pregnancy, it will not only affect the development of fetal teeth and bones, but also affect the bone health of the expectant mother herself, and finally lead to osteoporosis, causing back pain, leg pain and whole body muscle aches. Therefore, calcium should be stored from the 8th week of pregnancy. Adequate calcium intake cannot be supplemented by nutritional supplements alone, but food supplements should be put first. For example, fresh milk, it is best to drink more than 500ml of fresh milk every day. I drank 420ml a day at the time, and I also had food supplements, and later added calcium supplements, so it was enough. If you don't drink fresh milk, you can also drink yogurt, cheese, or formula milk powder for pregnant women. Milk is the easiest to be absorbed by the human body, so you should drink more dairy products on a daily basis.

⑤ Iron-rich foods

During the growth and development of babies, at least several billion red blood cells are needed. The production of red blood cells requires iron, in addition to nutrients such as folic acid and vitamin B12. During pregnancy, 60 mg of iron is needed every day, which is twice the amount before pregnancy. If the expectant mother is found to have anemia or is pregnant with twins during the examination, the demand for iron will be even greater. When the iron deficiency is severe, iron supplements are needed. If it is mild, it can be supplemented through food. For example, you can eat two eggs in the morning. I felt dizzy for a week in the late pregnancy, so I boiled an extra egg and ate it, which solved the problem.