Embarazo mes a mes [Fecundación y desarrollo de embrión a feto, y a bebé]

Summary

This video provides a detailed, week-by-week journey of pregnancy, offering an engaging and informative overview of a baby's growth and development in the womb. It explains the early stages, starting from fertilization, through key milestones such as heartbeats, limb formation, and sensory responses. The script highlights common symptoms, emphasizes the importance of folic acid, and reassures expectant mothers about the various stages, from embryo to fetus. The video aims to empower women with knowledge about the pregnancy process, offering a comforting and informative perspective on each trimester.

Takeaways

• 😀 Pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of the last period, not fertilization, except in IVF cases.
• 😀 The embryo implants into the uterus around week 3 and begins to release pregnancy hormones, which cause early symptoms like nausea and fatigue.
• 😀 In the early weeks, the baby grows rapidly but is still very small, like a poppy seed at week 4, and is forming its basic structures.
• 😀 At week 6, the baby’s heartbeat can sometimes be detected, and folic acid is crucial for the development of the neurological system.
• 😀 By week 7, the embryo transitions into a fetus, and distinct features like limbs and facial structures begin to develop.
• 😀 The fetus reaches a size comparable to a blueberry by week 7 and starts showing more recognizable features like eyes, mouth, and jawbones by week 11.
• 😀 At week 12, the fetus officially enters the second trimester, and it looks more like a miniature baby with fully formed extremities and facial features.
• 😀 At week 15, the baby starts swallowing and urinating amniotic fluid, and fine movements like opening and closing hands can be seen.
• 😀 By week 20, the baby responds to sounds and begins to develop muscle and organ functions, and the mother may start feeling the first kicks.
• 😀 By the seventh month (week 27), the baby reacts to both sound and light stimuli, with movements becoming smaller as space in the womb tightens.
• 😀 By week 39, the baby is full-term, weighing about 3 kilos, and may be awake or sleeping during the day. It’s common for babies to be born slightly before or after the expected due date.

Q & A

Why do we start counting pregnancy weeks from the first day of the last period instead of fertilization?

Pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period because, unless in vitro fertilization is performed, it is nearly impossible to know the exact moment of fertilization. This method provides a more consistent way to track pregnancy progress.

What happens during the first few weeks of pregnancy before implantation?

Before implantation, the fertilized egg, now called a zygote, travels through the fallopian tubes and begins dividing into an embryo. During this time, the embryo has not yet implanted in the uterus and therefore no pregnancy symptoms are felt.

When do pregnancy symptoms start to appear?

Pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, and mood changes generally begin after implantation, around the middle of week 3, when the embryo starts releasing pregnancy hormones like chorionic gonadotropin.

At what size is the embryo at week 4 and what can be detected?

At week 4, the embryo is about the size of a poppy seed. While it is too early to detect on an ultrasound, the embryo already has a heartbeat, although it may not be visible or audible at this stage.

Why is folic acid important during pregnancy?

Folic acid is essential for the formation of the neurological system. It is important for the mother to start taking folic acid three months before pregnancy and throughout the first trimester to support the development of the baby’s brain and spinal cord.

When does the fetal stage begin in pregnancy?

The fetal stage begins at week 10, marking a transition from the embryo to a fetus. At this point, the baby measures about 3 to 4 centimeters, and basic structures such as arms and legs are forming.

What developments occur around week 11 of pregnancy?

By week 11, the baby’s facial features, such as the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, begin to form. The abdominal wall is fully closed, and the bones of the skull are formed. The genitals are developing, and nails begin to appear.

What is lanugo, and when does it appear on the fetus?

Lanugo is a fine hair that covers the fetus during the second trimester. By the fourth month (around week 15), lanugo starts to appear, primarily on the eyebrows and upper lip, though it may cover more of the body in some cases.

What should be expected by the 20th week of pregnancy?

By week 20, the fetus measures around 18-20 centimeters and weighs about 300 grams. The brain, muscles, and organs continue to develop, and the mother may begin to feel the baby’s first movements, or ‘kicks.’

How do baby movements change after week 27 of pregnancy?

After week 27, the baby becomes larger, and space in the uterus becomes limited, causing movements to feel less frequent or less intense. However, it is important for the mother to continue feeling the baby move throughout the day to ensure healthy development.