The Stages Of Pregnancy Unfold In Forty Fascinating Weeks
The miracle of pregnancy fascinates every woman that conceives. Within the first trimester, weeks 1 to 12, many changes take place to both mom and embryo. The first real developments take place in week 3 and this is where the individual life really starts to take shape.
Both sperm and egg meet to begin the development of the zygote. The DNA structures that will decide boy or girl, eye color, height, facial features, and much more. Those 23 chromosomes from each parent that you hear about, are being turned into the beginnings of a unique individual. At only the size of a raspberry, a storm of cells are dividing and turning into something truly spectacular, as the zygote makes its way down the fallopian tube.
In weeks 4, 5 and 6, the zygote becomes known as a blastocyst and burrows itself in the uterine wall. It forms a placenta to protect and nourish it throughout the rest of the pregnancy and becomes an embryo. In these three weeks, all the basic humanoid things are beginning to develop. The central nervous system, peripheral system, outer skin, eyes, heart, brain and major organs begin to form.
During the 7th week of pregnancy, features of the face such as tiny nostrils, lenses of the eye and ear canals take shape. Small buds resembling paddles will form arms and legs, and by week 8 the embryo is now beginning to look more like a baby. Arms and legs get longer, the spine straightens, and gender identity is showing the first signs of development. In males the testicles will form and in females the ovaries begin to grow.
The magic gets even more fascinating in weeks 9 to 12 as toes and fingers become more evident and the fetus gains control of muscle movements. It can close its eyelids and external genatalia are present but still not yet identifiable. It can yawn and begin sucking movements. The fetus can also produce urine during this stage.
The second trimester, weeks 13-27, marks another exciting stage of development. At the beginning of week 13 from crown to rump, the fetus is about 3