8 week of pregnancy: what happens to the baby and mom

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Parents expecting their baby want to know everything that happens to their baby from the very first weeks of pregnancy. This is a fascinating process that allows the development of the most complex creature of evolution - man. What happens to the baby and his mother at the 8th week of pregnancy will be discussed in detail below.

General characteristics

At the 8th week of pregnancy (the photo below shows the embryo), the expectant mother can already register with a gynecologist. In the antenatal clinic, the doctor will conduct important examinations and issue a referral for the necessary tests (blood and urine). A medical specialist conducts an examination on a gynecological chair. A smear is taken and the condition of the cervix is \u200b\u200bassessed. Then he measures the woman's pelvis, her weight.

Ultrasound at this time is carried out only if the woman has not yet had time to undergo an examination earlier. This is a completely safe procedure for the baby and mother. However, in this case, nothing can be compared with its informativeness.one other examination.

A woman at this time may feel unwell. Toxicosis may increase. Periodic minor pains, heaviness in the lower abdomen may also appear. These are early training bouts. The muscles that hold the uterus are also stretched. If the pain is severe, prolonged, you need to urgently consult a doctor.

What happens at 8 weeks pregnant? The baby at this time already corresponds to the size of the grape. It is actively developing. He continues to form important organs and systems. It is fed through the placenta. Therefore, mothers need to carefully monitor their diet. She must provide her baby with everything necessary for normal growth, proper development of organs and systems. You also need to monitor your emotional state. Extra worries, stress is now useless.

Feelings of a future mother

8 obstetric week of pregnancy is marked by a lot of changes both in the woman's body and in the development of the fetus. This period completes the second month of pregnancy. Now the symptoms that most often accompany pregnancy appear much more clearly. In addition to the delay in menstruation, the expectant mother may feel swelling, enlargement of the mammary glands. The ducts in them increase in preparation for the production of milk.

Frequent mood swings, drowsiness and fatigue are also frequent companions of the 8th obstetric week of pregnancy. In some cases, a woman is haunted by insomnia. Food preferences can change a lot. These are the firstsigns of toxicity. It is also manifested by vomiting or just nausea. Pungent odors can be annoying, and certain foods can be disgusting. If you want unnatural products, for example, they are attracted to chemical smells, you want to eat chalk or even earth, this indicates a serious lack of vitamins and trace elements. A woman should contact a gynecologist to prescribe an appropriate balanced vitamin complex. You will have to reconsider your diet. It must be balanced.

Hormonal changes in a woman's body cause discomfort. The level of hCG (a hormone that the fetus secretes) is constantly increasing. It stimulates the production of progesterone (the pregnancy maintenance hormone). It is this hormone that sets the body to gain weight. It relaxes the muscles of the intestines and bladder. This may result in constipation. Urination becomes frequent. A woman's waist may increase, but this is not due to the growth of the uterus, but to the accumulation of gases in the intestines due to an increase in progesterone in the body.

Physical changes in a woman's body

What happens to mom at 8 weeks pregnant? The fetus begins to develop sex organs and hormones. This leads to drastic changes in the hormonal background in a woman. It looks like a real storm. In the body of a woman at this time, male hormones may appear. It has nothing to do with the gender of the child. From the cholesterol that is present in the mother's body, gestagens appear. These substances contribute to the preservation of pregnancy. Estrogens also appear from cholesterol andandrogens (female and male hormones).

All of the listed substances enter the mother's blood at the same time. Because of this, nausea and other symptoms of toxicosis may increase. Because of androgens, some mothers develop acne on their faces. Light hairs on the body (mainly above the upper lip) may also darken slightly. Sometimes hair loss may occur. These are temporary phenomena that will pass with time. There is no need to worry about this.

If the darkening of the hairs has become noticeable, you can get rid of them with a razor. Do not use chemicals for hair removal. This can adversely affect the he alth of the baby. Also, do not resort to procedures for pulling out hair from the root (depilation, sugaring). Pain also negatively affects the condition of the fetus. If the sensitivity of the skin is low, these methods can also be used. The use of irradiation to remove vegetation is strictly prohibited.

The fetus at this time needs more and more calcium. He has a skeletal system. Therefore, more and more of this mineral is excreted from the venous vessels of a woman. Its reserves must be constantly renewed. Otherwise, varicose veins may appear. Also, a lack of calcium will affect the he alth of the teeth and nails of a pregnant woman. It is very important to supplement the diet with the necessary products during this period.

Changes in baby's body

The baby is now actively developing. He's grown up a little. It is clearly visible on ultrasound. Photo of the fetus at 8 weeks pregnantsee next. This is a very important period in the development of his body. During this period, a heart with four chambers begins to form. Blood is divided into venous and arterial.

Also at this time, the baby already has one kidney. This is the rudiment of two systems (urinary and sexual), which will develop later. They will form the baby's genitals depending on the chromosome set laid down during the fusion of two parental cells. The adrenal cortex will produce hormones (male or female) that will stimulate this process.

If the parents have a girl, at this time her ovaries will form. It is during this period that a reserve of follicles will be laid in their cortex, from which, after many years, eggs will be formed. In the process of intrauterine development, the number of reserve germ cells in the ovaries of a girl is about 7 million. By the time of her birth, all defective cells die. There are about 1 million of them left. By the time the first menstruation begins, only about 300 thousand eggs remain in the female body.

And what happens at the 8th week of pregnancy with a male baby? During this period, the boy begins to produce testosterone. Testicles are also beginning to develop.

During this period, the baby's skin begins to be sensitive, as tactile and temperature receptors are already working. Even a very tiny creature in the mother's tummy can feel itself and the situation around. The growth of the fetus at this time increases dramatically. Now its lengthis 15-20 mm. Weight, compared with last week, increases by 3 times. Baby now weighs 3g

Uterus and abdomen

Since the fetus is actively growing at this time, the uterus also begins to grow. She is about the size of a medium apple now. This process may be accompanied by minor discomfort. Don't worry if they are short and not very strong.

The belly at 8 weeks of pregnancy does not increase much. Visually, the “interesting position” of a woman is not yet noticeable. However, fluctuations in weight may already be observed. If mommy has toxicosis (and it is strong enough), she can lose weight. It is necessary to take the necessary actions to prevent this negative phenomenon. The gynecologist will give some tips to help reduce discomfort. As a rule, toxicosis is associated with hormonal changes and a lack of vitamins and trace elements in a woman's body.

For those women who do not suffer from toxicosis (which is also the norm and indicates good he alth of the mother), weight may increase. However, this is not yet associated with the growth of the fetus, but with the effect of progesterone. The intestines work sluggishly, but you want to eat more. This is where weight gain comes in. This is a normal process that is needed to maintain a pregnancy. You shouldn't overeat either. This will negatively affect both mother and baby.

The gynecologist during the examination will already be able to determine that the uterus has become larger. Now she is round, which corresponds to her normal state at the 8th week of pregnancy. Fetal development stimulates uterine growth.

Selections

Discharge at 8 weeks pregnant should be whitish or clear. They have a uniform texture. In this case, the discharge can be quite plentiful, but they should not have an unpleasant odor.

If they become thicker, lumpy, and itchy, you need to see a doctor. These are signs of thrush. This disease during pregnancy can appear even in those women who have never had candidiasis. The body's immunity decreases, this is a natural process that does not allow rejection of the fetus. The gynecologist will advise the drug that can be used at this stage of pregnancy. Most drugs are now contraindicated. Therefore, the choice of medicines must be carried out strictly on the advice of a doctor.

If the discharge turns brown or bloody, you need to go to the hospital. This may indicate various deviations in the development of the placenta. However, in most cases, negative consequences can be avoided if timely treatment is started.

You should also consult a doctor if the discharge has acquired a yellowish, greenish tint, an unpleasant odor has appeared. An infection that provokes this phenomenon can inhibit the development of the fetus. Therefore, treatment must be carried out in a timely manner. The development of the fetus at the 8th week of pregnancy largely depends on the state of he alth of the mother. Therefore, if signs of the disease appear, you need to contact the antenatal clinic.

Tests

To determine what happens at 8 weekspregnancy with the mother's body, the doctor may prescribe a series of tests. This happens at a time when a woman becomes registered. After the examination, the doctor will issue a standard list of tests and examinations that the woman must undergo.

The woman's height and weight must be determined. Her body temperature and blood pressure are also measured. After that, you will need to take an analysis for a blood group (including the Rh factor), for sugar, HIV, RW, and the presence of infections is determined using antigen tests. They also do a coagulogram (blood clotting). It is necessary to pass a general urine test and bakposev.

During the examination, the gynecologist takes material for cytological examination and vaginal flora.

In addition to tests, you will need to undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist, otolaryngologist, endocrinologist, dentist. After that, you need to visit a therapist. In some cases, a consultation with a geneticist, venereologist or other doctors is required if the mother has any chronic or congenital diseases.

The level of hCG during this period reaches 70-80 thousand mIU / ml. Less or more of this hormone is a negative factor.

Ultrasound

Some women undergo an ultrasound as soon as the test shows the coveted two strips. This allows you to accurately confirm the pregnancy, to see the place where the embryo is in the uterus. It also eliminates the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy or implantation in the wrong place (in the abdomen, on the cervix, etc.).

If a woman has not yet had time to undergo an early diagnosis using ultrasound, she should do it at the 8th week of pregnancy. During this period, the fetus is not only visible, but you can also listen to its heartbeat, it is normally about 150 beats / min. During ultrasound, the heartbeat may increase by 10-20 beats / min. It's quite normal if mommy is a little nervous. It's a stressful situation for her. Therefore, the baby reacts to the excitement of his mother.

In some cases, the ultrasound shows that the muscles of the uterus are tense. This may be mistaken for hypertonicity. However, such a diagnosis can only be made if other symptoms of this condition are present. If not, no treatment is needed.

Factors that affect the baby

At the 8th week of pregnancy, a full-fledged placenta in the fetus has not yet formed, so its protection from external adverse influences is not yet good enough. All important organs are now beginning to form, so any negative impact can be fatal for the baby. In order to prevent violations in the development or even death of the embryo, you need to give up alcohol. Even a small amount can destroy some of the cells of the fetus.

Smoking is also banned. It causes oxygen starvation, vasospasm. This can lead to miscarriage or inadequate development of the baby. Also, most drugs are now banned. They can influence the processes of cell division. Now this is unacceptable. Antibiotics and anabolic agents are especially dangerous. Limit contact with chemicalsradiation (X-ray). Cannot be treated with herbs. Many of them can cause miscarriage.

What can I do?

At the 8th week of pregnancy, you need to start eating fractionally (especially with toxicosis) he althy food, reduce the consumption of sweets, fried foods. It is important to eat fruits and vegetables. A complex of vitamins is added to the diet only if a woman cannot eat the necessary trace elements and vitamins.

At this time, all mothers take folic acid. It is necessary for the proper development of the baby. In some cases, you can take iodine (as prescribed by a doctor).

Intimacy is not prohibited. Only in case of a threatened miscarriage should sexual intercourse be abandoned until at least the second trimester of pregnancy. Physical activity should be reduced. Workouts don't have to be intense. You need to walk outdoors. You can sign up for the pool.

Having considered the features of the development of the fetus, the condition of the mother at the 8th week of pregnancy, you can prepare for all the changes in this period. By eliminating adverse factors and improving your lifestyle, you can give your baby everything you need now.