5-8 Weeks
Baby
It is possible to see the gestational sac with ultrasound starting from the 5th week. The first ultrasound examination is important in the determination of the settlement of the pregnancy and the number of babies. Is it a single baby or do you have twins? Is its intrauterine settlement normal? Is its heart beat normal? Early ultrasound is important in answering all these questions. The height of the embryo exceeds 1 mm. Irregular beats have started in a tube-like structure that will form the heart in the future. The baby starts to feed from the mother via the placenta and the umbilical cord. Chambers of the heart start to form starting with the 6th week in the developing embryo and heart beat becomes regular. During this period, while the structure that will form the spinal cord starts to close upon itself, head-neck, nervous system, lungs, liver and kidneys start to develop. It is possible to hear the heart beats of the baby with Doppler ultrasound. Since the legs of the baby curl onto itself, its height is generally measured as crown-to-rump length and reach up to 2-4 mm at the 6th week. Its heart beat may vary between 120 and 160. Blood circulation has started in the body of the baby that has reached up to the size of a lentil. When the size of your uterus doubles during the 7th week, the height of your baby reaches to 4-5 mm.
While its brain lobes start to develop, hand and foot buds also form. The tip of the nose and ears can be seen. The holes of the eyes and the nostrils start to form. The baby is called embryo during the first 8 weeks. At the end of 8th week, it will be named as fetus. It is possible to see the movements of the baby who has reached up to a height of approximately 1.5 cm and a weight of 250 mg with the ultrasound. When the part of the baby that seems like a tail start to disappear, small webbed fingers and toes start to form in the hands and the feet. Since sufficient space is not present within the abdomen, some of the intestines are found within the umbilical cord. It will be transferred to the abdomen completely in the coming weeks. While nerve conduction pathways are being formed, eyelids start to cover the eyes. The trachea and main bronchi start to form. External genital organs can not be seen yet. You have to wait for a while in order to see the gender of your baby with ultrasound.
Mother
The 2nd month of pregnancy is a period in which the baby starts to grow and develop rapidly. The embryo having the size of a pea grows approximately 1 mm a day and is called a fetus. During this period the placenta providing nutrients for the baby from the uterine wall continues its development. The nervous system and spine of the baby starts to form during this period and its digestive and circulatory systems become prominent, its heart starts to beat. Its eyes, ears, mouth start to form; limbs start to appear. Though all organs of the baby are very small, they become developed. The gender of the baby is determined when the egg and the sperm fertilize, however it is not possible to see the difference in the male and female babies, they look alike. With the starting of the 7th week, testicles and penis start to form in the male babies and labia major and clitoris start to develop in the female babies. Eyes, nose, ears, lips, tongue and mouth of the fetus have already developed in the 8th week of pregnancy. Its hands and fingers, feet and toes appear. You experience some changes during this period, as well; you may feel extremely exhausted and may sleep more than you normally do.
You are expected to require more sleep during this period when your metabolism changes. In addition, some expectant mothers may experience nausea especially in the mornings. This situation is related to the changes in your hormones and is temporary. In addition, it is possible to reduce nausea with some precautions like feeding on small and frequent meals. Growth and tenderness may be present in the breasts; the color of nipples may darken. Frequent urination may be seen since the growing uterus applies pressure on the bladder. In addition, vaginal discharge is also increased. It is normal to experience mood changes during this period. You may be more emotional compared to your old self, you may cry easily. Your mood may change all of a sudden while you were feeling extremely happy. It will be helpful to talk about your condition with those who are around you for consideration.