Fetal growth stages in months

Written By The HealthMeth Team - Updated On Monday, January 25, 2021 2:00 PM

Pregnancy and fetuses

Pregnancy is defined as the growth of one or more fetuses inside the woman's uterus, where pregnancy occurs after the sperm meets the egg during a process known as fertilization, [1] and the fact that fertilization occurs in the woman’s body specifically in the organ known as the fallopian tube ; As the sperm coming from the man penetrates the wall of the mature egg released by one of the woman's ovaries, and it is indicated that the eggs are released from the ovaries once a month, after which the fertilized egg resulting from the fertilization process travels to the uterus through one of the fallopian tubes, and then implants in the woman's uterus During a process known as implantation, [2]Meanwhile, some changes occur in the woman's body in preparation for the pregnancy period. Such as an increase in the secretion of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, an increase in the thickness of the uterine lining, and the appearance of the placenta , [3] In fact, the growth and development of the fetus begins from the moment fertilization occurs, and the gestational age can be calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period of the pregnant woman, which is what It is called the gestational age , and knowing the gestational age is important in order to closely follow the examinations of pregnancy and the growth and development of the fetus. [4]


Fetal growth stages in months

The stages of fetal development in a woman's womb during pregnancy have multiple stages , and can be divided into three stages, each lasting for approximately 12-14 weeks; Where the first trimester starts from the first week of pregnancy and ends with the end of the thirteenth week, followed by the second trimester, which continues until about the twenty-sixth week of pregnancy, and ends with the third trimester, which extends until birth, during these stages the size and mass of the fetus increases and its organs gradually differentiate, so many devices They begin to form and develop during the embryonic stage, at different times throughout the pregnancy, and the stages of pregnancy can be explained in some detail as follows: [4] [5]


first month

The amniotic sac) and the placenta, as the amniotic sac is filled with fluid and surrounds the fetus throughout pregnancy to contribute to its protection, while the placenta takes a flat circular shape, and the food is transferred from the mother to the fetus and the waste is transferred in the opposite direction. These four weeks form the initial structures of the face and neck. So that the face of the initial fetus at that time contains two large circles that will form the eyes later on, and this stage also includes the start of the formation of the mouth, lower jaw, and throat, in addition to the lung, stomach, and liver, as the heart and blood vessels continue to grow, and red blood cells take shape and the blood circulation begins By rotation, and at the end of the first month of pregnancy, the fetus’s heart rate will be about 65 beats per minute, while its length is estimated at about 6.35 millimeters, which is smaller than the size of a grain of rice.[6] [7]


second month

By the second month of pregnancy, the fetus grows to the size that can be seen with the naked eye. In this month, the beginning of the formation of the brain that consists of two lobes is observed , as well as some features, such as: the spine , elbows and knees, fingers and toes, and the bones of the hands and feet begin to harden as The face begins to form, as the eyes, ears and eyelids grow, and the brain and blood vessels can be seen through the thin skin of the head, and small buds are noticed on the torso of the fetus, which later form the hands and feet, and the presence of two nostrils are observed in the face of the fetus, and the heart of the fetus at the end of this week It is made up of four chambers, and by the end of the month the size of the head is inconsistent with the rest of the body and the length of the fetus at the end of the second month of pregnancy is slightly more than 12.7 millimeters, which is the size of a grain of rice. [7] [8]


the third mounth

The fetus continues to grow in the third month of pregnancy until it becomes consistent with the size of the head at the end of this month, and at this stage of pregnancy the rapid growth of the fetus and the development of the organs and tissues that were previously formed, as the eyes move to the front of the face with the eyelids remaining closed, and the growth of the hands and feet is completed Fingers and nails begin to develop, and the fetus is able to open and close the fist of its hand and mouth, as the outer ear is formed and the teeth begin to grow, and both the circulatory system and the urinary system continue to work, and the liver also begins to produce bile, although the external genital organs have begun With the full appearance, development and differentiation in the male and the female, it will be difficult to know the gender of the fetus by ultrasound until this stage, and at the end of the third month of pregnancy, the length of the fetus will be approximately 7.6-10 centimeters and its weight becomes approximately 28 grams.[8] [9]


Fourth month

In this month, the fetus’s heartbeat can be clearly heard through the Doppler device, and the mother can begin to feel the movement and kicks of the fetus, as the fetus begins to stretch, yawn, suck its finger, and change its facial movements. It is worth noting that the reproductive system has fully developed so it can be known. The sex of the fetus when performing ultrasound, if the position of the fetus is appropriate, and in this month a white, slippery and greasy layer called vernix caseosa begins to form on the skin of the fetus, as this layer protects the skin throughout its presence in the amniotic fluid, as well as It helps the fetus exit through the birth stream when it is time to give birth, and the hardening of the fetus's teeth increases, while its skeletonIt consists of rubber cartilages, and the development of the nervous system begins, and the growth of all of the hair, eyelids, eyelashes and nails is complete, and the fetus in this month has its own fingerprint, and at the end of the fourth month of pregnancy the fetus weighs approximately 113 grams, while its length is approximately 15 centimeters, the size of a banana. [10] [11]


the fifth month

This month, the mother feels the movements of her fetus, as a result of the fetus’s movement to train its muscles, which have begun to grow, and hair at this stage begins to grow on the head of the fetus, and the shoulders, back and temples of the fetus are covered with a thin, soft hair called fluff. This hair helps protect the fetus, and it usually disappears at the end of the first week after birth, and the length of the fetus at the end of the fifth month of pregnancy is about 25 centimeters and its weight becomes about 0.2-0.5 kilograms. [8] [3]


The sixth month

The fetus’s organs grow fully in the sixth month, and at that time the fetus has the face of a newborn, but its eyes are slightly protruding due to the lack of fat cushions forming in the cheeks of the fetus yet, and the upper and lower eyelids of the fetus remain connected to each other until their separation at a later time, and the skin is wrinkled, And red, thin, and there is little fat under it, and blood vessels are visible through the transparent skin of the fetus, in addition to that the body is thin despite having good muscle mass, and this month the fetus’s hearing becomes well developed, as the fetus shows in response to noise With movement or increased heartbeat, the mother may also notice vibrating movements when the fetus suffers from hiccups , and the length of the fetus at the end of the sixth month of pregnancy is approximately 30 centimeters, and weighs about 0.9 kilograms. [12] [13]


the seventh month

The mother notices during this month that the fetus’s kicks have become different from what was previously mentioned, because as the fetus continues to grow, the space available for it to move will decrease, but this does not mean that its movement will become less, and the fetus continues to swallow the amniotic fluid, and surprisingly, the food that the mother eats affects In the flavor of amniotic fluid, the fetal brain and taste budsHe has become sophisticated enough to notice the difference in flavors, so when the fetus begins to eat solid food around the sixth month of his life after birth, he may prefer the types of food that he tasted while he was in the womb, and this month also notes that the fetus becomes able to hear and see, As the nervous system of the fetus grows significantly, and fat is formed under the skin, and the fetus begins preparing for childbirth at the end of this month; By changing its position so that its head is facing downward, and in order for the fetus to pass easier through the birth canal, the bones of the skull do not join together until after birth, the length of the fetus by the end of the seventh month of pregnancy is slightly more than 43.7 centimeters and its weight becomes about 1.9 kilograms. [14] [15]


eighth month

The fetus's brain grows rapidly during this month, as the fetus becomes able to see and the sense of hearing becomes more developed, so that the fetus is able to distinguish sounds if it hears it repeatedly for a long enough time, and the fetus kicks more than usual at this stage, and most of the internal organs have grown With the exception of the lung , the fetus continues to mature and develop the body's fat reserves, and the length of the fetus in this month is up to 45.72 cm, while its weight is estimated at approximately 2.3 kg. [6] [16]


The ninth month

The fetus continues to grow and develop in the ninth month of pregnancy; That is, when approaching the end of the third trimester of pregnancy, when the fetus’s lungs become mature, and its brain grows significantly in this month, which leads to the consistency of the responses of the fetus, as the fetus can then blink its eyes, close its eyes, turn its head, and clench its hands tightly, as well as The fetus responds to various influences; Such as sounds, light and touch, and it is worth noting that the position of the fetus changes in the uterus in preparation for the stages of labor and birth; As it moves down towards the pelvis , and its head is usually directed downward towards the birth stream, and by the end of the ninth month of pregnancy, the length of the fetus becomes approximately 46-51 centimeters and weighs about 3.2-3.6 kilograms at most. [17] [18]


Fetal care

In fact, fetal care is not limited to the stage of pregnancy only, but rather some measures are required even before pregnancy occurs; That is, during its planning, including taking folic acid supplements of approximately 400 micrograms per day, as well as the need to quit smoking, abstain from drinking alcohol and using any illegal substances, and as soon as pregnancy occurs, it is worth setting an appointment to see a doctor as soon as possible, Taking care to inform him of all the medications that the woman takes; Including medicines that are sold without a prescription, and it is worth emphasizing the need for women to follow a healthy diet that provides the needs of the fetus with nutrients without causing any harm, and adherence to these tips, along with the instructions of the specialist doctor, clearly helps to obtain a healthy and safe baby. Complete as well as preserves the health of the mother. [19]


References

  1. ↑ "Pregnancy" , www.everydayhealth.com , Retrieved 8/10/2019. Edited.
  2. ↑ "Your pregnancy at week 3" , www.medicalnewstoday.com , Retrieved December 17 , 2019. Edited.
  3. ^ A b "Pregnancy: Ovulation, Conception & the Getting Pregnant" , Www.my.clevelandclinic.org , 19/2/2019, Retrieved 8/10/2019. Edited.
  4. ^ A b "Development Fetal" , Www.americanpregnancy.org , Retrieved 8/10/2019. Edited.
  5. ↑ "Fetal Development" , www.embryology.med.unsw.edu.au , Retrieved 8-10-2019. Edited.
  6. ^ A b "Fetal Development: Stages Of Growth , " , Www.my.clevelandclinic.org , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  7. ^ A b "Slideshow: Development Fetal Month by vBulletin® Month" , the www.webmd.com , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  8. ^ A b t "Baby's Development In The Womb" , Www.mydr.com.au , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  9. ↑ "Month Three of Pregnancy" , www.webmd.com , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  10. ↑ "Fetal ultrasound - 4 months" , www.babycentre.co.uk , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  11. ↑ "Baby Development Month By Month (VIDEO)" , americanpregnancy.org , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  12. ↑ "Sixth month" , www.mydr.com.au , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  13. ↑ "Month 6 of Pregnancy" , www.webmd.com , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  14. ↑ "Fetal ultrasound - 7 months" , www.babycentre.co.uk , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  15. ↑ "Seventh Month HOW YOUR BABY IS DEVELOPING" , www.hunterdonhealthcare.org , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  16. ↑ "Fetal ultrasound - 8 months" , www.babycentre.co.uk , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  17. ↑ "9 months" , www.hunterdonhealthcare.org , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  18. ↑ "Month Nine of Pregnancy" , www.webmd.com , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.
  19. ↑ "Pregnancy care" , www.medlineplus.gov , Retrieved 17-12-2019. Edited.

Stages of fetal growth

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