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Fetal growth and maternal changes

During the first 3 months(12 weeks) of pregnancy, expectant mothers usually gain 1 to 2 kg, but weight gain can be less or even a loss due to morning sickness.
Most of this weight gain is due to the placenta, breasts, uterus, and extra blood production.
During pregnancy, your body becomes more stressed and your heart rate and breathing rate increase.
As your uterus grows, it presses on the bladder, causing you to urinate more frequently.

(Source : Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, New Dad's Handbook, 2018)

Week 3

• 1. Fetal growth

  The start of new life begins with fertilization! When a sperm enters the egg in the fallopian tube, fertilization occurs, marking the beginning of a new life. The diameter of the fertilized egg is approximately 0.2 mm, and the first cell division happens anywhere from 12 to 15 hours after fertilization.

• 2. Maternal changes

  At this stage, women experience little to no physical changes. In a 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs around day 14±2(12-16) from the first day of your last menstrual period. Fertilization occurs when the sperm and the egg released from the ovary meet in the fallopian tube. This is considered the second week of pregnancy. Because implantation has not yet occurred, the mother will not feel any changes.

Week 4

• 1. Fetal growth

  During this period, the fertilized egg moves down the fallopian tube and undergoes repeated cell division.

• 2. Maternal changes

  Progesterone continues to be secreted to maintain pregnancy. While there are no noticeable changes visible on the outside, women more sensitive to their bodies may have symptoms similar to a cold, such as chills, fever, and full-body fatigue.

Week 5

• 1. Fetal growth

  At this time, an ultrasound will show the shape of a fetus. A gestational sac can be seen on an ultrasound, and organs like the heart, liver, and stomach begin to form.

• 2. Maternal changes

  At this time, morning sickness may begin, and your nipples will become more sensitive. Morning sickness symptoms are worse in the early morning on an empty stomach. You will also feel lethargic or fatigued and get tired easily. On top of sensitive, tingly nipples, blood vessels and veins under the skin of your breasts will also become more visible.

Week 6

• 1. Fetal growth

  An ultrasound can show the embryo's heartbeat. 80% of the brain and spinal cord’s nerve cells are created during this period. The placenta and umbilical cord that connect the mother and fetus also develop.

• 2. Maternal changes

  When you become pregnant, the amount of blood flowing to the uterus increases due to the influence of hormones, and your metabolism becomes more active. This causes increased sweating and increased vaginal discharge. Vaginal discharge will be milky white, sticky, and in high amounts, but with little odor or itchiness.

Week 7

• 1. Fetal growth

  The fetus starts to take on a distinctly human shape. The head makes up about half of the fetus' entire length and can be distinguished from the body. What once resembled a fish will now transform into a human shape. The shapes of the head, body, arms, and legs are distinct. The brain begins to develop rapidly with approximately 80% of the development of brain and nerve cells differentiating during this period. Approximately 80% of the development of brain and nerve cells differentiaties during this period. The tissues that will develop into hands and feet begin to form. The tiny eyes, nose, ears, and mouth begin to form. It is not possible to determine gender from an ultrasound but tissues that will become the ovaries and testes appear. Amniotic fluid begins to form, and the fetus grows to 2 cm in length and weighs approximately 4 g.

• 2. Maternal changes

  You may experience frequent urination during this time. Pregnancy causes the secretion of human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG). One of the effects of this hormone is to cause blood to rush to the pelvic area, which puts pressure on the bladder. The enlarged uterus, which is the size of a goose egg, also puts pressure on the bladder, making you feel the urge to urinate. As the stomach and waist become tight, tension may occur, and the movement of the intestines may slow due to the progesterone, making it easy to become constipated. As the months pass, the uterus grows larger and begins to press on the bladder.

Week 8

• 1. Fetal growth

  The fetus starts to take on a distinctly human shape, with the head disproportionately large, making up roughly half of the embryo’s total length. Fingers and toes differentiate, and the optic and auditory nerves of the eyes and ears develop. Internal organs also begin to take shape, the placenta begins to develop, and tissue that will become the umbilical cord forms. You may be able to see fetal primitive movements on an ultrasound.

• 2. Maternal changes

  Your breasts will become larger, firmer, and heavier. Some pregnant women may feel like they have lumps or may feel pain. The color of your nipples also darkens, and your stomach may feel tight.

Week 9

• 1. Fetal growth

  The facial contours gradually take shape. At this time, development of the body, arms, and legs is clearer, and the facial contours become more pronounced. The ears begin to develop and the dental prominences form. The skin begins to differentiate into two layers. The fetus moves around in the amniotic fluid, wiggling its entire body.

• 2. Maternal changes

  Changes in the breasts become more noticeable. Most pregnant women who did not experience morning sickness before now will begin to experience it during this period. If you have morning sickness, you may produce a lot of saliva or burp a lot. This is because the amount of saliva increases due to stimulation of the salivary glands, and the motility of the stomach and duodenum decreases, causing food to ferment in the stomach. The uterus grows to the size of a fist, causing pulling in the lower abdomen or back pain.

Week 10

• 1. Fetal growth

  The fetus’ fish-like tail gradually shortens, and the body becomes straight and longer. Five fingers and toes are clearly visible, and the ridges of the brow, lips, lower jaw, and cheeks begin to develop under the facial skin. The overall facial skeleton is formed. The ear is differentiated into the inner ear and the outer ear, and eyelids also form. An ultrasound can be used to observe the appearance of the nostrils.

• 2. Maternal changes

  The uterus grows to about the size of a fist. Since the uterus is still inside the pelvis, you can feel it getting bigger by placing your hand over your pubic bone. The enlarged uterus puts pressure on the bladder, causing you to urinate more frequently. The increased blood supply to the vagina and vulva causes the vagina to darken and produce more discharge. Increased secretions serve as a protective measure to prevent bacteria in the vagina from entering the uterus and causing infection in the fetus. However, it is important to distinguish the types of discharge. If your discharge is dark yellow, curdled like cheese, or itchy, it is likely due to vaginitis caused by fungi or bacteria, and you should seek medical attention.

Week 11

• 1. Fetal growth

  The fetus grows almost four times physically. It is about 5 to 9 cm long and weighs about 20 g. Hair from the hair follicles grows and becomes downy, and all the organs in the body develop, including the heart, liver, spleen, appendix, and intestines. The intestines become long enough to form a circular loop, and the circulatory system takes its place. The fetal heartbeat can be heard using a Doppler ultrasound. Most of the muscle tissue begins to take shape, and the limbs become clearly defined and longer. The legs also differentiate into thighs, calves, and feet, and the genitals begin to form.

• 2. Maternal changes

  Increased metabolism may further increase secretions. As the total blood volume in the body increases and blood circulation within the pelvis becomes more active, your milky discharge may increase further. Your back may feel heavy, you may feel cramps in your ankles, and you may experience constipation or diarrhea. If you’ve had previous skin problems, your skin may become dry and itchy.

Week 12

• 1. Fetal growth

  The fetus' face and body begin to be covered with fine hairs called lanugo. The brain develops rapidly, and the head is quite large compared to the rest of the body, about the size of a ping-pong ball and taking up about one-third of the body. The surface of the brain is still smooth and unwrinkled. Muscles and bones develop, and the jaw contains the roots of 32 permanent teeth.

• 2. Maternal changes

  Morning sickness gradually subsides, so you will feel more comfortable. Morning sickness gradually disappears around this time and appetite increases. This helps improve your complexion. You will start feeling more mentally stable and at ease, and your basal body temperature, which was high during the entire first trimester, begins to drop, which will continue until you give birth. Some pregnant women's bellies may start protruding. As the fetus grows, the fundus of the uterus can be more clearly felt.

Week 13

• 1. Fetal growth

  During this time, the skin, which had previously appeared transparent, gradually becomes thicker. The heartbeat becomes stronger, and a reddish glow appears on the face. The fetus’s eyes are almost fully formed with the eyelids shut, and the two eyes are beginning to move inward toward the bridge of the nose. However, they are still far apart. The neck develops, and the outer ear gradually rises higher up the neck. The amount of amniotic fluid also increases during this time.

• 2. Maternal changes

  As the amount of hormone secretion changes steadily, your anxiety and hysteria symptoms will gradually subside. To lower blood pressure, the veins in the hands and feet relax, so your hands and feet are always warm.