Pregnancy weeks 8 to 10 is full of developmental changes and growth spurts with the foetus. Pregnancy weeks 8 to 10, the embryo is now called a foetus. Women who research pregnancy weeks 8 to 10 will discover all of the changes happening, both to their own bodies and the growing foetus. Follow every week of your pregnancy calendar weeks 8 to 10 and see how the foetus changes considerably between weeks 8 to 10 of pregnancy and this guide monitors those changes.
Pregnancy Week 8
Pregnancy week 8 is where the embryo is now referred to as a foetus, this means “Young one” in Latin. The sensations that you are feeling become more intense and most women are certain about their pregnancy by this stage.
As the uterus expands to cope with the new foetus your figure and shape will also undergo changes that will become noticeable as the trimester carries on. larger breasts are to be expected so ensure that you replace your bras with new sizes to accommodate these changes. A certainty is that your waistline will also expand and maternity sizes are a better option than trying to squeeze into existing clothing.
You may want to consider your intake of fluids at this stage of your pregnancy because the foetus will be in need of fluoride, calcium and phosphorus in order to develop healthy teeth and bones. eight glasses of fluoridated water is the recommended intake that you should consume daily.
Foetal Development at 56 Days Pregnant
The foetus has grown again by another 5mm this week making a measurement of 1.5cm in length.
The head is now taking more shape and has become more rounded in appearance and reduced in size now about 25% of the entire body size. The facial features are looking more human like and vivid with more definition to the mouth, cheeks, lips and chin. The nasal passage is in early development meaning that the foetus can create a nose tip. Eyelids are developing and will cover over the eyes, but will remained sealed in position until about pregnancy week 24. Primitive taste buds are developing on the growing tongue.
The intricate details of the inner and outer ear are forming and the development of the middle ear is still ongoing. this will eventually provide the foetus with balance and hearing, although this will not be completed until around pregnancy week 19 to week 24 and hearing will not be possible until then. The tissue paper thin skin has developed more, but is still translucent revealing blood vessels that are co-ordinated throughout the body of the foetus.
The tadpole like embryonic tail has now completely disappeared as the trunk has straightened and the muscles and organs are beginning to function well.
The foetus begins creation of the skeleton during this stage of pregnancy and the process begins to give more definition and extension to the arm and legs. The limbs become slightly bet and stretch out in front of the body of the foetus. The hands have lost the webbed like appearance due to the separation of the individual fingers and is now able to bend at the wrist. The feet also began to form the toes, but unlike the hands and fingers the toe digits are still very much in resemblance to being webbed.
Ultrasound at 8 Weeks Pregnant
The crown to rump length of the foetus is about 1.5cm to 1.7cm at week 8 of pregnancy.
Pregnancy Week 9
Pregnancy week 9 is 49 days after conception and a lot of soon to be mothers are considering the options available to them about birthplaces and making the necessary arrangements. See the Pregnancy planning article on this site which contains a birth plan that will be very useful.
Mood swings can now be evident, they are caused by the increased hormone levels and are sometimes unpleasant to expectant mothers as they can experience ups and downs that affect their lifestyle and people close to them.
The mood swings during early pregnancy are an almost certainty so you need to accept that they are going to happen and work through them with the support of friends and family.
Foetal Development at 63 Days Pregnant
The foetus has grown more since the previous week and should now measure round 2.3cm in length and has a weight of about 2grams. the size and shape of the foetus at this stage of pregnancy is often compared to that of a peapod.
The eyelids are now almost fully formed, but will remain closed sealing and protecting the eyes until a later stage of pregnancy. the completion of the inner ear happens during pregnancy week 9 as development is rapid.
The limbs of the foetus continue to grow and develop and will begin to bend at the knees and elbows which are also going through growth and development. The development of the wrists and ankles are forming nicely and the webbed like appearance of both the fingers and toes has vanished due to the completion of the separation process of the individual digits. nail beds are now in early stages of development on the fingers and toes, but nails will not grow until the foetus is around the 20 weeks of pregnancy.
The heart of the foetus has separated into four chambers comprising of working valves in the aorta and pulmonary blood vessels. The co-ordinated blood vessels are able to control the flow of blood directing a one way system to and from the lungs and body. Lungs are now growing well and the bronchi are starting to branch out within the chest of the foetus.
Although the bones are soft to begin with they are flexible, this is due to them being made initially from cartilage. The tissues that form the muscle is now working between the bones and the skin creating strength for the foetus.
Development and growth of the neck of the foetus is enabling movement, a slight raise and turn of the head is now possible and in some cases a foetus at this stage of development can move the hand towards their face and initiate contact which is believed to be early signs of thumb sucking.
As the development of the sexual organs continues it is still difficult to differentiate the sex of the foetus at this stage of pregnancy. The anus is in the process of development as are the testes or ovaries.
The liver has taken on the initial primary role of producing the blood supply so the yolk sac is no longer needed and has vanished, once the bone marrow is produced then the liver will cease this function.
Ultrasound at 9 Weeks Pregnant
It is still difficult to see much of the foetus through ultrasound and although the sexual organs are developing as it is purely guesswork to determine the sex of the foetus at this stage of pregnancy.
The crown to rump length of the foetus is about 2.5cm at week 9 of pregnancy.
Pregnancy Week 10
Pregnancy Week 10 of pregnancy if you have not already then you should start to notice some changes to your body and temperaments.
The uterus should be enlarged now so that it may be slightly noticeable in a mirror that you are carrying a baby. The normal size of the uterus is about the size of a coconut. The waistline of your body will start taking more shape now and breasts will already be increasing.
The foetus that you are carrying will be active this week as they will be kicking their legs and moving around, although it is highly unlikely that you will be able feel the foetus some mothers have described floating sensations that could be linked with these particular movements.
Foetal Development at 70 Days Pregnant
The growth of the foetus has almost doubled again and should now measure 3.5cm and weigh around 5grams. The shape of the foetus has changed very little as development this week will be concentrated on the vital organs.
The head of the foetus is now almost half of the entire body length with a forehead that bulges out of the top in a higher position. Very tiny soft and fine hairs are forming on the foetus that like that of found on a peach. Fingernails are still in the formation process, but are growing slowly.
The legs have grown more in this week of pregnancy and are becoming stronger every day. The arms of the foetus have grown also, but not as much in comparison with the legs. in both limbs the muscles are growing and developing giving the foetus thick cushioning between the forming bones and skin.
The brain of the foetus is fully functional , but is still developing in maturity as is the nervous system. The foetus now has a range of muscles and nerves that are working in harmony with each other to co-ordinate the movements of the foetus. The liver, kidneys, intestines and lungs are all formed correctly and working as they should be.
the straightened body of the foetus can now reveal a small rib cage that is still forming as well as the ever developing digestive system.
The primary movements of the foetus are tiny and often go unnoticed by the mother. The foetus is able to kick, swallow, stretch, move their jaw and move limbs in a very jerky manner as the co-ordination has not been matured as yet.
very early reflexes are now established in the foetus and should you manage to gently massage your tummy then the foetus can respond as they feel a stroke on the soles of their feet and palms of their tiny hands.
Ultrasound at 10 Weeks Pregnant
The foetus is very clear to see on the ultrasound scan at 10 weeks pregnant. The crown to rump length of the foetus is about 3cm in length at week 10 of pregnancy and the spinal cord and rib cage are clearly visible.
A small hand held sound-wave stethoscope called a doppler can be used to monitor the heartbeat of the foetus at this stage of pregnancy.