First Trimester of Pregnancy (courtesy : www.encarta.msn.com)
My friend missed her regular monthly periods. I asked, her to go and visit the gynecologist. And then, she told me, “I am pregnant”. The gynecologist, then explained, that the first week of the first trimester is too early to show any physical changes, but the body undergoes its internal changes. The would be moms generally, get very little time to be prepared mentally and psychologically for pregnancy, as the uterus is too low in the pelvis and there are no visible bumps.
The first trimester is the crucial time, when the development of the baby’s brain and nervous system begins. So, the gynecologist recommends you to take additional folic acid supplements, that may help to avoid problems such as neural tube defects during birth. You should always try to avoid any sort of medications that may hamper the baby’s development.
She always had a question in her mind. How does my baby look? How are its features? The doctor then explained her, all about the embryo development showing the picture of first stage of pregnancy. The gynec, then explained, that the first trimester changes the embryo to a fetus and then the major organ systems starts to develop. I liked the way, the doctor explained it to my friend. She described it in the following way:
In the first month (1-4 weeks), the embryo is attached to the walls of the uterus and starts developing. The heart created inside begins to beat on the 25th day. The arm bud appear on the 26th day, whereas the leg buds appear on the 28th day. The digestive system is in its developing stage. The size of the embryo is one-fifth of an inch long.
In the second month (5-8 weeks), the outlines of the face is formed. The ears are covered by a thin membrane. The spine, brain, liver, kidneys, bloodstream and digestive system are just developing.
The arms and legs are increasing in size. At the end of the second month, the embryo becomes a fetus, and its size is about one and one-eighth inches long and weighs almost one-thirty of an ounce.
In the third month (9-12 weeks), the facial features of the fetus are yet growing. The eyelids are fused, the nose and outer ears are forming, the nail beds have been established, the movement, such as head turning or sucking, begins, the teeth buds have started to come out, all the internal organs are formed. The fetus begins to swallows amniotic fluid. The size of the fetus is about three inches long and weighs one ounce. The placenta is fully developed and weighs about an ounce. Almost one to three ounces of amniotic fluid is found. At the end of two months, an umbilical cord is formed, that circulates blood and nourishment to the fetus.
