Saturday, July 21, 2007

9 weeks pregnant

9 weeks pregnant (baby is 7 weeks old)
Your baby now is about the size of a medium green olive. The crow-to-rump length is 22 to 30 mm and the baby weighs 0.12 ounces. Although your body shape will not yet reveal that you are pregnant, your doctor would be able to notice an enlarged uterus. The hCG hormone is at its peak and you might notice more changes. Your skin may become smoother and a bit plumper, but you might also get an outbreak of pimples. Your hair may become less oily, or more. You might also notice some vaginal discharge, which is usually not a cause for concern.

Although the baby is still very small, it is beginning to look more like a human being. Your baby's back is straightening out and the tail is shrinking. In proportion to the rest of his body, the head is large and remains curved forwards onto the chest. The head is erect and the neck is developing well. Even though your baby's eyes are well developed, they are covered by a membrane lid. The eyes will not begin to open and close for quite some time still. Your baby will begin to make tiny movements as the muscles start to develop. You will not be able to feel any of these early movements, but you might be able to see them during an ultrasound. The arms and hands are progressing faster than the legs and feet at this point. By this time of your baby's development, the hands have defined finger ridges and the tissue between them will die off to leave separate fingers. It is impossible to distinguish a male from a female at this time because external genitalia look very similar at this point.

Your blood system will change during pregnancy and blood volume will increase by 50%. The increase in blood is important to meet the demands of your gowing uterus. Blood volumes will begin to increase during the first trimester and will continue to rise throughout the entire pregnancy. The increase in plasma can cause anemia, which will cause you to feel tired or weak.
In week 9 (7 weeks after conception) the fingers are clearly visible.



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10 weeks pregnant (baby is 8 weeks old)
At this point of your pregnancy, the crown-to-rump length of your developing baby is 1.25 to 1.68 inches. It is now easier to tell how much the baby weighs since he is beginning to put on some weight. Your baby weighs approximately 5 grams and is the size of a small plum! The baby has grown an incredible amount during these past few weeks, but you still aren't showing too much yet.

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This week is somewhat of a landmark for your developing baby. By now, your baby's complete body plan is laid down. Your baby will continue to develop and grow for the remainder of the pregnancy. The fingers and toes have separated and the tail has dissappeared now. Your baby has taste and tooth buds at this point, which will continue to develop. The brain will continue to grow at an amazing rate and nearly a quarter of a million new neurons are produced every minute! The embryonic heart is completely developed. External genitalia are not apparent until next week, but a male's testes will already be producing testoterone.

Because you have high hormone levels at this time, you may notice an abundance of emotional and physical effects. Most pregnant women find themselves getting distressed easily and have frequent mood swings. Common physical changes include the beginning of real weight gain, potential softening of the gums and slightly swollen thyroid glands. Common emotional changes include feelings of unattractiveness, feelings of inadequacy and concerns about what the future holds. Some women are not excited about their pregnancy at first and question the condition. It is not uncommon to get upset easily, cry at the slightest things, feel moody or drift on daydreams.

You may have gained a little weight already. Average weight gain during pregnancy is about 28lbs(13kgs), but most of that is gained in the second and third trimester.