16-week-old fetus has mastered the rich repertoire of movements: turns and flips. He hears sounds, and even… can make them. It also has a feature that makes it unique. Find out about the development of the fetus in the fourth month of pregnancy.
W14. weekfrom fertilizationfetusis about 11 cm long from the crown to the end of the body, and if we add the length of the legs, its "height" is almost 20 cm. It is during this time that the legs extend until they are longer than the shoulders. Anyway, the entire fetus grows quickly - not only does it get longer, but also takes on a body. In the 15th week ofof pregnancy , fat begins to accumulate under the transparent skin, giving you warmth and energy, and also makes the embryo look more like a baby. This is also due to the fact that the head takes on proportions appropriate to the rest of the body, is covered with hair, and the limbs are already fully formed. Miniature nails appear on the fingers and toes.
At this time, the child also has developed sexual characteristics. During the ultrasound examination in the 14th week of fetal life, boys can see a penis, and girls already have the vagina, uterus, ovaries and labia.
The ovaries at that time have 2 million eggs. However, their number has been steadily decreasing from the very beginning - there will be a million of them when they are born (this phenomenon also progresses later - there are about 200,000 eggs in the ovaries of a 17-year-old girl).
Although the fetus looks more and more like a child, the skin is still thin and transparent - it is pink red and through it you can clearly see a network of delicate blood vessels, which look like intricate lace especially on the head. The baby's eyes are still closed, but they are already much larger, eyelashes and eyebrows begin to grow with them.
The course of pregnancy: you start to feel the fetus moving
As the muscle tissue develops, the fetus moves more and more. The period between the 14th and 17th week of fetal life is the time of the baby's greatest mobility. He takes advantage of the fact that he still has a lot of space in the uterus and perfects his increasingly richer repertoire: he stretches, arches his back, moves his arms, stretches his legs, turns from side to side, turns his head, and even performs somersaults. This gymnastics is for development - thanks to it not only better and bettermuscles, joints and bones work, but also a neurological system develops. This is because different types of movements influence the formation of various nerve connections in the central nervous system. In turn, when the baby makes the same movements, the nervous system coordinates them better with each subsequent one, so they become more efficient and more confident.
From the 15th week of gestation, the uterus touches the abdominal wall and the mother may begin to feel the baby's movements especially if she is pregnant again (in primiparous women it is 2-3 weeks later). Research shows that midnight is the favorite time of children's gymnastics.
How does it look now
After four months of life, the fetus measures approx. 14 cm (parietal-seat length) and weighs 200 g. The skin is still transparent, covered with a lace of blood vessels, and the eyelids are fused together. The limbs are fully developed - nails and even fingerprints appear on the fingers and toes.
The course of pregnancy: can the fetus cry?
In the 4th month of pregnancy, the fetal heart has to pump around 30 liters of blood a day. The heart muscle is now strong and its contractions are regular. The baby's heart beats at a rate of 120-160 beats per minute, which is about twice as fast as the mother's heart.
The baby continues to make chest movements, practicing breathing - so far without air. It is replaced by amniotic fluid, which the lungs begin to push outward when the baby is 15 weeks old. During this time, the baby can hear sounds coming from outside - from outside the mother's body - and may react very violently to some of them, for example by "jumping up". Can it spend them? Some researchers say yes. The use of vocal cords and epiglottis is possible in a 16-week-old fetus. But for making sounds you need air (without it, the sound does not spread), which is not in the uterus. However, tests were carried out in which, after introducing air into the uterus, the "crying" of unborn babies was recorded.
Certainly, a 16-week-old fetus already has something that will distinguish it from other people - fingerprints! Even then, a unique system of lines is created on the fingertips of the hands, different for each person - a proof of the uniqueness and uniqueness of each of us.
Enjoy your pregnancy
The first weeks of the second trimester are usually a very pleasant time. The symptoms of the early stages of pregnancy disappear: nausea, drowsiness and dizziness are no longer bothering, and the need to urinate frequently is reduced. The skin and hair look he althier and more beautiful. You may now feel a surge of energy and an overwhelming craving for certain foods. The urge for sex returns anderotic games, and better pelvic blood supply and breast sensitization to touch make it easier to reach orgasm. Use this time - indulge yourself and enjoy your pregnancy until you still have a big belly.