Today we want to show you these beautiful photos of a pregnancy week by week in pictures through which we can have a vision of the incredible transformation that the fetus undergoes week by week from conception to birth.
We can see in detail how the baby grows, how its organs are formed, how its upper and lower limbs develop and how it gradually evolves throughout the 40 weeks of its intrauterine life until it is ready to be born.
Thanks to this collection of high quality images we can observe the fascinating creation of the human being at each stage of pregnancy.
Images of week 4 of pregnancy
The beginning of a life
In the fourth week of gestation, the embryo has two weeks old. It still has no human appearance, but you can distinguish the bumps that will later be the baby's head, body and arms.
The neural tube and spinal cord belonging to the baby's central nervous system begin to form. The placenta is also formed, which will be responsible for transmitting nutrients and oxygen to the baby throughout the pregnancy. Meanwhile, that function is fulfilled by the yolk sac, an embryonic annex, which will disappear in the coming weeks.
Images of week 5 of pregnancy
In the 5th week of pregnancy, the head that is much larger than the rest of the body begins to differentiate and the small bumps that will later become the arms and legs begin to form.
Images of week 6 of pregnancy
The size of a lentil
They begin to develop optical vesicles on the sides of the head, which will then form the eyes that will be placed in front. The organs are in an initial stage of development. In week 6 it is the size of a lentil, between 2 and 4 mm, even so you can already distinguish the arms with your hands and the legs with your feet.
Images of week 7 of pregnancy
In week 7 you can see the embryo on an ultrasound and listen to the heartbeat. The umbilical cord that will pass nutrients to the baby throughout pregnancy has already formed. The gallbladder, stomach, intestines, pancreas and lungs begin to form.
Images of week 8 of pregnancy
Legs and arms are distinguished
Has grown twice its size. In week 8, the eyes, eyelids, mouth, ears on the head can already be distinguished and can be recognized legs and arms protruding from the trunk, as well as the fingers and toes. The vertebrae and ribs begin to grow and their skin is a thin translucent layer.
Images of week 10 of pregnancy
In week 10 the baby's auditory pavilions are formed and small roots of what in the future will be baby teeth and nails begin to be created. It measures approximately 4 centimeters and is 5 grams in weight.
Images of the 14th week of pregnancy
End of the first quarter
At week 14, the baby's primary structures and main organs they are already trained, all their organs work although they still have enough to be fully developed. The approximate size and weight of the baby at the end of the first trimester is 6 cm and 10 grams. Half of its size corresponds only to the head.
Images of week 18 of pregnancy
Its skeleton, which until now was cartilaginous, begins to solidify. Around week 18 is when the mother start to feel the baby's movements inside the uterus What until now was just a bubbling sensation becomes the certainty that the baby moves.
Images of the 20th week of pregnancy
At week 20 it measures 16 centimeters and about 350 grams. His lungs begin to practice the exercise of breathing and his digestive system does the same by swallowing amniotic fluid. His brain has 30,000 million neurons and is developing areas for the senses of taste, smell, hearing, vision and touch.
Images of the 22nd week of pregnancy
Perceive stimuli from outside
In week 22 you can see the eyelids, nails and eyebrows, although the latter still have no color, they are white. Measure some 27 centimeters and weighs almost 500 grams, although your body fat is only 1%. From now on you will gain layers of fat that will help you regulate your body temperature.
His brain, in continuous development, experiences around this week great progress in the limbic system, the middle brain, which manages physiological responses to emotional responses. It is an ideal time to start communicating with the baby during pregnancy, if it has not been done yet.
Images of the 24th week of pregnancy
In the 24th week of pregnancy you can open and close your eyes intermittently. Your body is already provided and begins to accumulate fat. His brain development occurs rapidly, his brain waves are similar to those of a newborn and the development of his middle ear, which regulates balance, allows him to differentiate changes in position within the uterus. Measure near 30 centimeters from head to toe and weighs about 650 grams.
Images of the 26th week of pregnancy
Reacts to sound, caresses and light
In the 26th week of pregnancy your ears get better and the baby react to the sounds that come from outside, especially to your voice. Practice the blink reflex and react to light stimuli, as well as sensory stimuli when you caress the belly. Perform daily breathing exercises.
Images of week 32 of pregnancy
In week 32 it weighs around 1700 grams and measures approximately 44 centimeters. Your lung structure, digestive system and kidney are perfecting to function outside the uterus. The lungs practice breathing, the intestine can digest and the baby swallows amniotic fluid and urine.
Images of week 36 of pregnancy
The last weeks
In week 36 you gain accelerated weight, increasing between 250 and 300 grams per week. Swallow and digest the amniotic fluid in which it floats, as well as vernix and other secretions. This dark green or blackish substance is called meconium and will form your first bowel movements.
Images of the 40th week of pregnancy
The moment of birth
In the 40th week of pregnancy the baby measures 52 centimeters from the head to the feet and weighs about 3,400 kilos. Is ready to be bornHowever, some organs such as the brain will continue to develop creating millions of neural connections during the first years of life.
Pregnancy week by week: from pregnancy to birth
Learn more here about the evolution of pregnancy week by week with details of how the baby grows and the changes the mother experiences from week 0 to 40 of pregnancy.
Photos | Bradley Smith on The Multi-Dimensional Human Embryo and National Geographic Channel
In Babies and more | Impressive images of fertilization, Impressive images of the first weeks of the embryo, Pregnancy calendar
