Stages Of Pregnancy By Week

5 min read

Written by Editorial Team

Editorial Team

The normal pregnancy period of a woman is 40 weeks. This period starts from the first day of the last period before your baby is born. The entire span of 40 weeks of the pregnancy is divided into three trimesters. So, in this article, let’s see how a fetus will change week by week to become a baby. Find out the Stages Of Pregnancy By Week.

 

stages of pregnancy

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 1

  • Last menstrual week before pregnancy begins
  • Calculation of the expected delivery date
  • Yet to conceive the baby

Week 2

  • Ovulation will happen
  • Sperm will meet the egg
  • You will become pregnant

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 3

  • The baby’s shape is like a tine ball
  • Right now the shape of the baby is known as a blastocyst
  • It is made with several multiplying cells

Week 4

  • The baby is an embryo
  • The embryo has two cells; epiblast and hypoblast
  • These cells will develop to become the organs of the baby

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 5

  • The embryo becomes a mass of cells
  • A different shape starts to form
  • The placenta develops

Week 6

  • Development of the nervous system of the baby
  • Baby’s brain develops
  • Optic vessels begin to form that will become eyes later

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 7

  • Formation of the umbilical cord
  • The face of the baby is getting in shape
  • A hand develops that looks like a small paddle

Week 8

  • The toes and the fingers develop
  • The baby’s arm can even flex
  • Eyes becoming more prominent

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 9

  • The tail of the baby at the end of the spinal cord disappears
  • The head of the baby grows
  • The tip of the nose also develops

Week 10

  • The formation of vital organs is done
  • The development of external parts such as fingers separating etc. starts to happen
  • Tooth buds will form
  • For a male child, testes will form

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 11

  • Blood vessels grow in the placenta
  • Ears move to its final position
  • Baby’s head will be half the body’s size

Week 12

  • Finger and toenails develop
  • Vocal cords form
  • Kidneys are functioning

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 13

  • Placenta develops completely
  • Eyelids are protecting the developing eyes
  • The baby will put the thumb in the mouth

Week 14

  • Lanugo or fine and soft hair will form on the baby’s face
  • Genitals of the baby will develop fully
  • The thyroid gland of the baby will mature

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 15

  • The skin of the baby is developing
  • The skeletal development continues
  • Muscle development also continues

Week 16

  • Baby can erect the head
  • Facial muscle development
  • Weight is around 110 grams or 3.9 ounces

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 17

  • The placenta continues to grow to accommodate baby
  • Changes in the breast of the mother due to increased blood flow
  • Hormones are getting ready for the milk production

Week 18

  • Middle ear bone is developing
  • The baby may start hearing sounds
  • The bones of the baby are becoming hard

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 19

  • Baby’s skin is covered with vernix caseosa to prevent getting scratched
  • The mother can feel the first movements of the baby.
  • The mother may also feel the kicks and punches of the baby

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 20

  • Nail and hair grows quickly
  • The weight of the baby increases to 312 grams (11 ounces)
  • The mother may undergo an ultrasound test

Week 21

  • The development of intestine is happening
  • The baby can now digest a small amount of sugar
  • The bone marrow develops to make blood cells

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 22

  • The development of the senses continues
  • The baby may suck or stoke the thumb to find new sensations
  • The reproductive system of the baby is growing

Week 23

  • Fat is beginning to build on the flat skin of the baby
  • The mother may have sleeping problems and anxiety
  • A warm bath or herbal team can soothe the mother

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 24

  • The glucose screening test will take place
  • The development of the inner ear of the baby is now complete
  • The baby will aware whether he or she is right-side up or upside down

Week 25

  • Baby’s hearing improves as he or she can now hear the mother
  • The mother will get fetal activity when she is in a relaxed state
  • The mother may also face digestive problems

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 26

  • The baby’s eyes will start to blink now
  • Eyelashes and the hair on the baby of the baby continues to grow
  • The weight of the baby is now 907 grams or 2 pounds and still increasing

Week 27

  • The look of the baby is quite similar to the look at the birth
  • Immunes system, lungs, and liver are yet to mature
  • The baby may start to recognize your and your partner’s voice

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 28

  • The layers of fat are getting added to the baby
  • The brain of the bay is still developing
  • The doctor will ask the mother to have a blood test to examine the Rh factor

Week 29

  • The mother needs to notice the movement of the baby
  • The mother may feel hard jabs from the baby
  • In case the movement becomes infrequent, it is important to talk to the healthcare provider

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 30

  • The baby will add up more fat layers and look less wrinkly
  • The baby will also mimic the movements of breathing
  • The baby can also get hiccups at this stage

Week 31

  • The baby’s amount of urination will increase
  • The doctor will check the amniotic fluid levels during the ultrasound test
  • The mother should talk to the doctor about breastfeeding and lactation

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 32

  • The lanugo hair is falling off from your baby’s body
  • Eyebrows and eyelashes become very much evident
  • Consultation with the doctor in case of any symptoms such as swelling, headaches, or weight gain is a must

Week 33

  • The baby can detect light at this time
  • The baby’s brain is developing, and that is helping the baby to learn
  • The lunch of the baby is now matured

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 34

  • The mother should intake more foods with calcium to enable the child from developing stronger bones
  • A pregnant woman will be feeling tired and have sleeping problems
  • The weight of the baby will be around 2,250 grams or 12.6 pounds

Week 35

  • The baby will gain weight rapidly
  • The baby will get cramped in the uterus due to limited space
  • The lanugo hair will not any there anymore

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 36

  • The sucking muscles and fat will make your baby’s face look full
  • The bones that create the skull of the baby will move towards each other in a process called molding.

Week 37

  • The baby will be able to turn towards the light
  • The baby will be able to grasp with his or her fingers

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 38

  • If the baby is a body, then the testicles will drop to the scrotum
  • If the baby is a girl, then the labia will be now developed
  • The mother may have to go to the bathroom frequently

Week 39

  • Vernix covering your baby’s face is now gone
  • The mother’s body will supply the antibody to the placenta for the development of the baby’s immune system
  • Contractions will become more frequent

Stages Of Pregnancy By Week: Week 40

  • The expected due to date will come in this week
  • Some pregnant women might have to wait a couple of weeks more for the delivery
  • The doctor will perform the screening test to judge the responsiveness of the baby

Finally, Weeks by weeks, the fetus will develop and change its shape before becoming matured enough for the delivery. So, a pregnant woman should go for regular checkups with the doctor and follow the guidance of the doctor to have a safe and healthy pregnancy.

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Editorial Team,

With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting.Read more.

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