12 week fetal development

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Immediately after the egg is fertilized by the sperm, a complex but predictable process takes place to form a baby. Let's find out the development of the fetus at 12 weeks.
Insemination usually takes place two weeks after the last menstrual period begins. By convention, the due date is calculated 40 weeks after the first day of the last period, which means that the duration of the period is also included in the time of pregnancy, despite the fact that fertilization may not have occurred yet. happen!

During the first trimester of pregnancy, the 12th week (equivalent to the 10th week after conception) is the last week of the first trimester, an important milestone in the pregnancy journey. The great news is that the miscarriage rate has dropped dramatically after the first trimester of pregnancy.
The development of the fetus in the first 3 months is strong, the appearance of the fetus is completely like a miniature human, the fetal face is also more developed, looks clearer. Most fetal organ systems are fully formed, although they still need to undergo maturation in order to function fully. Specifically:
The intestinal system gradually develops more in the womb of the fetus, the first bowel movements appear. The kidneys are ready to excrete urine. Bone marrow gradually produces white blood cells - the body's later protective barrier against pathogens. The pituitary gland in the brain begins to secrete hormones. The fetal reflexes begin to form, the fetus appears spontaneous movements, although the mother at this time cannot feel the fetus. At this stage, the fetus is about 54mm (2.1 inches) long and weighs about 14g (0.49 ounces).

Increased olfactory sensitivity: Pregnant women are easily stimulated by different odors. Frequent headaches: Remember to eat all meals throughout the day, because skipping meals will cause low blood sugar, triggering headaches. Besides, if the level of pain is intolerable, consult your doctor for safe pain relief during pregnancy. Fatigue: Pregnant women need to rest their body more, and take advantage of sleep when the baby is not born. Bloating, farting: One way to reduce these annoying manifestations is to eat slowly and slowly, because eating too quickly will increase the amount of gas swallowed, aggravating the existing condition. Increased salivation: this condition will soon end when entering the second trimester of pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a wonderful thing for most women. Pregnant women need to monitor fetal development through weeks of age to recognize the body's manifestations to see what is normal and what is abnormal so that together with a specialist doctor can intervene to ensure safety. for both mother and baby. Because from 12 weeks of age, the baby has developed relatively fully in terms of morphology and has reflexes such as bending and stretching the body, stretching the limbs,... This is also one of the 03 important ultrasound milestones that are detected. recommended by experts. During this ultrasound, doctors will especially check and screen for early abnormalities of the brain, face, heart, digestive, urinary, extremities and the whole body.
Because your baby is still quite small, a high-end 4D ultrasound system like the GE Voluson E10 will play a very important role in helping doctors at Vinmec detect more than 95% of abnormalities in this period. Packed with the latest technologies, the GE Voluson E10 enables enhanced image quality and penetration for outstanding high-resolution images and easy operation.
Maternity care program at Vinmec International General Hospital will be the best choice to accompany pregnant mothers throughout pregnancy. There are a full range of prenatal screening tests and comprehensive fetal development monitoring, methodically performed, meeting international standards, helping to detect abnormalities during pregnancy at the earliest for handling. timely.

Reference sources: webmd.com, mayoclinic.org