Fetal Development Basics & Pregnancy
At 4 weeks, the cells of the fetus are specializing into a nervous system, hair, organs, and skin. At 12 weeks, the fetus is around 2 _ inches in size and makes movement on its own. At 20 weeks, the nervous systems functions, sex can be determined, and you will feel your baby move. At 28 weeks, the fetus weighs over 2 pounds and if born prematurely, would most likely be able to survive. At 32 weeks, the baby weighs 4 pounds and fat layers begin to develop under its skin. At 36 weeks, the lungs are almost fully developed and brain function is developing rapidly. At 37 weeks, a term pregnancy can be made.
Recently Answered
- Q What is intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyThere can be many causes of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which is just a fancy name for saying that baby isn't gaining enough weight. It affects the smallest 5 percent of babies. On the one hand, IUGR can occur when there are maternal... Full Answer
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- Q Will I deliver my baby early if I have IUGR?
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If you have intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and your baby has stopped growing or has other problems, your doctor may decide that an early delivery is the best course. If your baby is especially fragile, the early delivery may be performed... Full Answer
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- Q What are apgar scores?
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Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineAt 1 minute and at 5 minutes after delivery, nurses will give your child an APGAR score to assess whether your baby may be at risk and need further close monitoring soon after birth. On a scale of 0-10 (10 being the best), the test measures appearance,... Full Answer
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- Q Can I tell the gender of my baby by my belly shape?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyLots of people believe that the shape of their belly reflects the gender of the baby inside. Many think, for instance, that you've got a boy if you have a basketball belly (with no fat anywhere else), and you're carrying a girl if you're shaped more like... Full Answer
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- Q When does the fetus develop the sense of balance?
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Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineYou may think that babies don't need to have balance at all since they're not exactly standing or walking in the womb, but the ability to balance is essential for babies, too. In truth, the fetus has a well-developed vestibular system that gives him his... Full Answer
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- Q Can exposure to loud noises damage an unborn baby's hearing?
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Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineThe way babies' hearing works (and ours, too) is that sound waves stimulate little hairs attached to nerve cells in the cochlea, a tiny shell-shaped structure in the inner part of the ear, which send impulses to the brain. Any damage to those hairs -... Full Answer
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- Q When does the fetus develop reflexes?
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Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineA fetus develops plenty of reflexes, and all of these reflexes depend on the central nervous system. These are the main ones: 1. Movement:Fetuses develop the ability to flex and extend their limbs and suck their thumbs in utero, but these reflexes... Full Answer
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- Q How are fingerprints formed in the womb?
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Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineInnumerable environmental factors influence the formation of fingerprints, including the exact position of the fetus in the womb at a particular moment and the exact composition and density of surrounding amniotic fluid that's swirling around the fingers... Full Answer
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- Q When does the sense of smell develop in a fetus?
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Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineIt used to be that scientists believed fetuses had about as much of a sense of smell as they had a sense of fashion; that's because smelling typically depends on such basics as air and breathing. Now, though, it's believed that amniotic fluid jets though... Full Answer
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- Q How is amniotic fluid used as a diagnostic tool for a fetus?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyAmniotic fluid gives us clues as to what's happening developmentally in utero. Besides bathing in amniotic fluid (which helps train your baby to balance himself in space, like a gymnast), the fetus is constantly swallowing and inhaling the fluid (about... Full Answer
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