Health & Fitness

Choosing a cord blood company is just one of the many concerns of expectant parents. Your pregnancy will progress week by week. It is most important that expectant parents take the time know what is going to happen each week to prepare for the pending changes. Your attention to these details cannot guarantee a complication free pregnancy, but will certainly improve the odds.

Your Baby from Conception to Fetus
The first week of your last menstrual period is considered the first week of your pregnancy. It is easier to pinpoint this date rather than the date of conception. During the second week of your pregnancy your uterus will form a lining of tissue called the endometrium. If an egg released from the female ovary is fertilized in the third week, the fertilized egg will divide and make its way to the uterus for implantation.

Once the cluster of cells reaches the uterus some cells attach to the uterine wall. These cells form the placenta. The remaining cells form the embryo. Most women will notice a missed period by the fourth week, but may notice spotting which is called implantation bleeding. Neural development occurs during weeks five through ten making this a very critical time for your babys development.

Your embryo becomes a fetus during the ninth week of your pregnancy. The fetus grows steadily during the next month. By week 18 expectant mothers may feel the fetus moving about in the uterus. An ultrasound may be done around week 19. The purpose of the ultrasound is to check the umbilical cord, placenta, and may allow for screening of additional defects. If the baby is in the proper position, the gender of your baby may be identifiable.