Pregnancy and the Weeks of Development: Week Seven
Week by Week Pregnancy
At the beginning of week seven, your baby is around 4 mm to 5 mm in length. By the end of this week, however, your baby will grow to 11 mm to 13 mm in length! This week signifies a large growth spurt, resulting in a baby weighing .03 ounces.
At this point, you may have gained a small amount of weight; however, some women do lose weight or have no change in weight at all. Your cervical mucus begins to thicken and form a plug over the cervical canal. This plug is important as it seals the cervix through pregnancy to prevent any infections or water leakage. Prior to delivery, your cervix will begin to dilate, causing the cervix mucus, also known as the cervix plug, to fall out (commonly referred to as your bloody show).
The buds for arms and legs will continue to develop and appear longer when viewed in an ultrasound. The hands and feet will display areas for fingers and toes; however these areas will be extremely small and difficult to see. The heart is bulging from the baby's body right now and it has divided into the left and right chambers. The brain continues to develop and grow rapidly as cells multiply continuously.
The lungs now display air passages, which are visible during an ultrasound. Facially, the nose continues to grow and develop as well as the pigment of the eyes. These facial features are visible through ultrasound, but will appear on the sides of the head at this point. The embryo contains a tail, which will fade away as the body continues to grow and the spinal cord moves up into place. The abdomen continues to develop where the pancreas and appendix are present and visible.
Mood swings may be present during pregnancy as a result of a drastic change in hormones. This is normal and can be expected to last the entire length of the pregnancy. These mood swings will range from a state of high irritation to a sense of anxiety or a dramatic depression. Tell your doctor if you are having problems controlling your emotions as developing depression is quite common for women. Do not take any medications unless approved by a doctor as they can affect the baby. Continue to drink a lot of water, rest often and eat a highly nutritious diet.
Move on to Week Eight
