Pregnacy Calendar: A calendar of each week of pregnancy. What to expect in each trimester.
The first weeks and Months of pregnancy:
Most women are not aware that they are pregnant until about four to six weeks
after conception. By the end of this week, you may notice that you have missed
your period. Whether you are aware of it or not, hormone levels start increasing
in your body as soon as the egg (ovum) attaches to the inside of your uterus.
This helps the uterus maintain the pregnancy. The walls of your uterus become
spongy and thicker, creating the perfect environment for the growing fetus.
The Fifth week of pregnancy (Fifth week after last menstration)
The baby is now called an embryo. It is now possible to differentiate between
the head and the tail of the baby. It is divided into three layers that will
later form organs and tissues. Low on the sides of the head are two folds of
tissue that will become the ears.
The central nervous system (brain and
spinal cord) is forming along with muscle and bone. The baby’s skeleton will
begin to take form. The heart and the circulatory system begin to appear and the
heart will begin to beat this week. Also, the lungs, intestines, and beginnings
of the urinary system are just beginning to form. In the meantime, the early
version of the placenta, the chorionic villi, and the umbilical cord, which
delivers nourishment and oxygen to the baby, are already busy doing their jobs.
The sixth week of pregnancy
By the end of this week the larynx (voice box) starts to form, as well as the
inner ear. The heart is developing further, and blood circulation is well
established. Upper and lower limb buds will appear this week and the beginnings
of the liver, pancreas, lungs, and stomach are evident.
You may not look
pregnant at this point, but your embryo's heart, no bigger than a poppy seed,
has already begun to beat and pump blood. The heart is dividing into chambers,
and will find a more regular rhythm soon.
Major organs, including the
kidneys and liver, begin to grow. The neural tube, which connects the brain and
spinal cord, will close this week. The embryo's upper and lower limb buds begin
to sprout and will form the baby's arms and legs. The intestines are developing
and the appendix is in place.
Below the opening that will later form the
mouth, small folds exist where the neck and the lower jaw eventually develop. As
early as this week, facial features are already forming. Nostrils are becoming
distinct, and the earliest versions of the eyes’ retinas are forming.
Quick-Guide Pregnancy Calendar For each trimester
More coming soon.
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