The embryo’s body is covered in soft, fluffy hair. Its slightly longer neck now makes its body look somewhat elongated. The tips of its fingers and toes begin to develop the individual skin lines that are unique to every human.
In boys, the penis slowly starts to form. However the baby’s sex cannot yet be determined using ultrasound imaging. At this stage girls will already have ovaries, fallopian tubes and the vaginal canal, while boys will already have testicles behind their abdominal wall.
Your child is no longer as susceptible to harmful influences as it was during the critical phases of organ development. Now it is important that the embryo receives a good supply of oxygen and nutrients.
There is still no clearly defined baby bump visible. Nevertheless your stomach might feel tight or bloated. That is caused by the air accumulating in your abdomen. Your digestion will also be much slower during your pregnancy. Your womb continues to grow and presses against your bladder, so you will feel the need to urinate more frequently. You will also probably drink more than usual. Your body requires additional fluid to produce more blood to nourish the embryo. By the time you give birth, the volume of blood in your body will have increased by 50%.
If you have a high-risk pregnancy, it is time to start finding out about all the prenatal diagnostic options. From the start of the 12th week of pregnancy, the first trimester test can help to assess your child’s risk of chromosomal defects. Further information is available here.
Your baby is about the size of a lime.
