While one woman may be laid low by extreme nausea and long durations of morning sickness; other woman sail through pregnancy with barely any discomfort; however there can be said to be some predictable early signs of pregnancy and fetal development week by week is usually as follows:

1. The first week of pregnancy is calculated from the first day of the last period. This is known as the LMP (Last Monthly Period).
2. Week 2 is when your uterine lining thickens in preparation to receive a fertilized egg.
3. Week 3 is after the conception has occurred and the when the fertilized egg implants itself into the lining of the uterus. Implantation bleeding could happen during this time.
4. Week 4 is the first time you would get an accurate result of a positive pregnancy test. The gestational sac has formed, as has the yolk sac to nourish the tiny baby until formation of the placenta.
5. Feeling tired, breast soreness, frequent urination, and all early signs of pregnancy may be felt now.
6. Nausea is getting worse now; nipples darken. Baby is about 4 to 6 mm.
7. Acne could be another early signs of pregnancy.
8. Baby is about 8 to 11 mm and the gonads will develop into testes or ovaries at this stage.
9. Stuffy nose and cold symptoms are also among the early signs of pregnancy.
10. At about 10 weeks you could start to experience the first visible pregnancy tummy.
11. At 11 weeks, pay special attention to weight gain. Eat healthy. You need a few extra calories but you are not eating for two, whatever the old wives tales say.
12. The placenta is fully functional now.
13. You can now hear the baby’s heartbeat through the Doppler.
14. At 14 weeks, the mother to be will enter into her second trimester; many of the early signs of pregnancy will ease by now.
15. Your heart pumps 20% more blood and the baby is about 70 grams.
16. Some women can feel the baby move as early as 16 weeks; some not till much later.
17. Vaginal discharge may have increased at this stage.
18. Your belly is now starting to get in the way; sleeping may become a little difficult.
19. The baby now weighs about 8 ounces.
20. The halfway mark and your belly button have probably flattened by now.
21. Think about baby names; birthing classes etc.
22. You may be having the best sex of your life right now. On the other hand you may be completely averse to it!
23. The baby is now about half a kilo.
24. You can probably tell when your baby is sleeping and when awake.
25. Plan the nursery, do some baby shopping about now.
26. Dad can probably even feel baby move by now!
27. Baby weighs a couple of pounds now and you are considerably bigger!
28. The third trimester begins now.
29. You are starting to feel the discomforts which are the later signs of pregnancy.
30. You may be feeling Braxton Hicks (practice) contractions by now.
31. Leg cramps and heartburn are de rigueur about now.
32. The baby is at its most active state now.
33. The baby may startle at a sudden loud noise.
34. The baby is 2 kg now and is about 17 inches in length.
35. The discomforts are many now and you are waiting for baby to make an appearance.
36. Most babies have settled into the head down position now.
37. Baby is practicing breathing now.
38. The baby is settling into the pelvis in readiness for birth now.
39. Practice changing diapers now!
40. Baby not there yet? Only 4% women deliver on their actual due date, so not to worry! Just make sure your due date was not miscalculated and remain prepared!

Mild first trimester cramping, even accompanied by a little spotting may be normal. However, if the cramps are strong or accompanied by heavy bleeding, then this is never considered normal and requires help.

It is important to differentiate between abdominal pain and cramping, since there may be a lot of reasons why a woman may experience this. Pregnant women often increase their intake of milk and milk products during pregnancy and this may cause indigestion, gas or constipation.

There could also be a strained muscle or ligament that could be causing the cramping so rule out all those possibilities first. Severe abdominal pain not related to a pregnancy could also be caused due to appendicitis, or a gallbladder attack, or it could be due to stretching of adhesions from previous abdominal surgery.

First trimester cramping could be an issue for worry in the event that the cramping is severe and is also accompanied by period like or heavier than period bleeding. One cause for severe pain could be an ectopic pregnancy, which is an extremely dangerous situation requiring immediate medical attention.

Also if the cramping during the first trimester is of a rhythmic nature which comes and goes, this would require urgent attention because it could be the sign of a miscarriage.

The location of the pain in first trimester cramping is also of great significance. If the pain is located in the lower portion of one side of the abdomen, then it is cause for immediate attention. This is particularly true for this kind of pain if it is accompanied by dizziness and/bleeding. This again could be the sign of an ectopic pregnancy.

Sometimes this cramping in the first trimester of the pregnancy occurs at the time that the woman’s period was due. This could be due to the hormonal changes that the body is undergoing and it could be something as innocuous as the muscles of the uterus stretching to accommodate the growth within it. These cramps could also be due to the fatigue that pregnant women often feel.

So anything more than mild first trimester cramps should be reported and diagnosis or treatment should be sought at once.

Conception: Even before the actual conception of formation of the zygote, the body is preparing for the fertilization of the female egg by the male sperm and consequent pregnancy.

So this stage of the pregnancy actually begins a couple of weeks before the actual conception, when the inside of the uterus is prepared by the creation of a nutrient and blood rich lining.

The conception which takes place at two weeks (since the pregnancy is dated by the last period rather than the actual date of conception), is therefore the first stage of the pregnancy and which presupposes healthy and normal hormone levels, healthy egg and sperm, as well as healthy fallopian tubes, ovaries and uterus.

Embryonic Development: This is the next crucial, main stage of fetal development, which comes about when the conception stage is successfully navigated. This is the embryonic stage, which we also commonly know as the first trimester.

The embryo is completely formed by the 5th week of the pregnancy. The central nervous system starts to develop by the third week as also the heart beat.

By the fourth week there is the development of the anterior brain and the arms and legs also begin to form buds out of the body’s trunk. By the eight week, visible male characteristics start to form in the male embryos.

By week 12, the embryo is the size of a large egg, about 3 ½ inches long and the placenta is well developed. Fingers and toes can just be made out at this stage.

Fetal Development: The brain is developed to a large degree by the 16th week, to the extent that the fetus can make sucking and swallowing motions as well as practice breathing.

Fetal movement is able to be discerned and by 20 weeks, at the half way stage, lanugo (fine hair that covers the fetal body) and vernix, the sticky substance that protects the body from the amniotic fluid also form.

By the 28th week, the fetus is considered viable; which means that the baby is capable of surviving outside the womb as long as the lungs are mature enough to breathe on their own.

By the 36th week the baby has matured to the extent that it can survive on its own outside the womb and by itself, about 5 ½ pounds at 18 inches in length.

Many of the women move to tears at that first sight and sound of her baby and naturally the fetal heart rate is a subject in which any mother will have keen interest.

There are several well established expectations about the fetal heart rate that the attending doctor or ultrasound technician will be watching out for, which will reassure the mother that all is well with the development of her child:

• The fetal heart rate starts at about 5 week’s gestation, when the baby’s heart first starts to beat. At this time the fetal heart rate is about 80 beats per minute. This is more or less the same as the rate at which the mother’s heart is beating.
• After this for the next 5 weeks, the fetal heart rate continues steadily to increase at the rate of 3.3 heart beats a day. So by the end of the 6th week the heart rate will be 126 beats a minute, by the end of the 7th week it will be 149, by the end of the 8th week it will be 172 beats a minute and by the end of the 9th week it can have reached as high as 195 beats per minute.
• By week 12 the fetal heart rate will be in the region of 120 to 160 beats a minute.

For some time it was believed that there was a correlation between the fetal heart rate and the sex of the baby, however no such link or relationship has been established, so the fetal heart rate cannot be used to predict the gender of the child.

Many mothers seek the reassurance of a Doppler at home to reassure themselves that all is well with their baby even in-between visits to the ultrasound clinic.

There are such home fetal heart beat monitoring devices available on the market, however some are not as effective as one may wish.

A poor quality one or inappropriately used one may end up causing the mother to be needless anxiety so in some cases a home fetal heart rate monitor can actually be counterproductive.

In just few days, you will be able to see your little one growing inside you.

But, still there are certain changes that need to take place during this week. They include:

What are the physical changes that occur in your body during pregnancy week 35?

In this week also, you need to suffer from back pain and extreme fatigue. Take rest whenever possible and always keep yourself hydrated with water or any fluids.

Your midwife or doctor should soon start monitoring cervical effacement and dilation in order to predict the labor. If your cervix is already dilated, then labor is not far away.

Some pregnant women still continue with the dilated cervix for couple of days before the labor begins. Discharging the mucus plug along with some spotting are all the signs of labor.

If you observe abnormal vaginal discharge of anything different from the routine, then immediately call your care provider as this can be the sign of labor.

The pains that you experience at the time of labor are quite different from one woman to other. The pain that you are going to experience depends on various factors such as your own natural pain threshold, fetal position, prescription medications, birth position, your general health, previous births and the birthing environment.

Whatever the conditions that influence the pain during the labor, the most important thing you need to remember is try to relax as much as you can and accept the pain as the natural part of the birthing process.

If the baby cannot pass through the normally closed cervix, then the labor process includes stretching, thinning, and opening of the cervix to allow your baby to pass through it. The opening of the cervix measures 10 centimeters when it is fully dilated.

The pain is the two part procedure during child birth: first part is physical experience and the second part is your emotional reaction to your experience and this is the part on which you need to have more control.

This is the right time for packing your bag if you are planning to give birth in a hospital or in a birthing center. This is the time to buy diapers and baby clothes. If you are already having the children, then this is the right time to prepare them for the upcoming baby.

Care you need to take during pregnancy week 35:

• The last few weeks of pregnancy can be very exhausting, so taking proper rest is very essential.
• Frequent walking is very important at this time because it can ease the labor pains.
• Consume the diet rich in calcium, iron and fiber.
• Keep yourself hydrated every time.

What are the changes that occur in the fetus during pregnancy week 35?

• By this week, your baby is about the size of 20.25 inches long and weighs up to 5.5 pounds. Generally, babies gain about one-half pound per week during the last month of pregnancy.
• Till now, your baby gained predictable patterns of sleep and wakefulness. Knowing about those patterns provide a helpful insight into your baby’s overall wellbeing.
• The digestive tract of your baby is still immature.
• The legs and arms of your baby will become chubby from this week onwards because of the more and more fat deposition. The deposition of fat will increase from about 2% at mid pregnancy to 12-15% at term.
• From this week, you will observe less fetal movements because the baby is cramped and restricted inside the uterus.

Fact for pregnancy week 35:

Sometimes, you will experience low hemoglobin levels during your pregnancy. But, from now onwards it is the time to elevate the levels again.

This elevation is due to the fact that there is storage of iron that takes place in your body to prepare for the normal blood loss that you will experience at the time of birth.

The depletion in iron levels is because your baby has utilized your iron levels to manufacture bone marrow and red blood cells. But, now this work is almost over. Now it is the time to absorb some of the iron for self.

Physical activity and exercises makes your delivery easier and also makes child care less tiring for you.

However there are some restrictions that you have to follow during pregnancy. Some of the most common physical activities that you should avoid include

Don’t start new exercise routine

Usually for pregnant women, it is not recommended to begin new exercise routine, particularly during first trimester because overheating of body can have effect on fetus development.

Avoid activities that cause physical harm

Any type of physical activity that can possibly put you at risk of physical harm is not recommended. Skiing, horseback riding, kayaking and all other extreme sports are obvious no’s for pregnant women.

Avoid activities that involve high altitudes

Activities such as mountain climbing, skydiving, rock climbing, etc involve high altitudes and they should be essentially avoided by pregnant women.

This is because of the reason that high altitudes alters the oxygen level in your body and possibly triggers premature child birth.

Stay away from rides at fairs

During first trimester of your pregnancy, there is a risk of damage to your womb due to sudden jerks and stops. As a result it can put you at risk of miscarriages.

In order to avoid all odd consequences and complications in pregnancy, stay away from all these activities and enjoy healthy pregnancy.

Up to 4% of women experience postpartum hemorrhage and it more likely occurs with a cesarean birth. Usually, hemorrhage will occur before or after the placenta is delivered.

In vaginal delivery, the amount of blood loss is about 500ml, but in cesarean birth, the amount of blood loss is 1,000ml.

Most of the times postpartum hemorrhage occurs immediately after the delivery, but sometimes it can occur later also.

Once after the delivery, the uterus continues to contract and expels the placenta. After the delivery of placenta, the uterine contractions help to compress the bleeding vessels at the region where the placenta was connected.

If there are no proper uterine contractions, then the blood vessels will freely bleed and finally results in postpartum hemorrhage. If any minute pieces of placenta remain attached, then also bleeding continues.

Some of you are at greater risk of postpartum hemorrhage when compared to others. Here are some conditions that can lead to postpartum hemorrhage:

• Multiple pregnancies: The condition in which more than one placenta exists and also over distension of your uterus.
• Placental abruption: The separation of placenta from the uterus
• Over distended uterus: Too much enlargement of the uterus because of excessive amniotic fluid or baby with excess weight i.e. more than 4000 grams.
• Pregnancy induced hypertension: The condition due to high blood pressure during your pregnancy.
• Placenta previa: The placenta is very near or totally covers the cervical opening.
• Obesity
• Infection
• Prolonged labor
• General anesthesia
• Having excessive previous births
• Drugs to induce labor
• Drugs to stop contractions
• Usage of vacuum assisted delivery or forceps

If postpartum hemorrhage continues like this, then you can take several steps to control the bleeding. This includes:

• Uterine massage
• Taking medications like Methergine, pitocin, hemabate, etc
• Breathing enough oxygen
• Being in a trendelenburg position i.e. feet above the heart
• Considering the surgeries like Hypogastric arteries, hysterectomy, or ligation of Uterine

Preventing the conditions of postpartum hemorrhage:

• Potocin injection helps to prevent postpartum hemorrhage and helps the placenta come out quickly and easily.
• Some pediatricians recommend breastfeeding as soon as the birth of your baby. This condition allows you to secrete your own oxytocin to help contract the uterus and expel the placenta.
• Massaging of the uterus also help to expel the blood clots. Also, massaging is used to check the tone of the uterus and make sure that it is clamping down to stop excessive bleeding.
• Make sure that you take the help of relaxation and breathing techniques and don’t do exercises that cause excessive stress. If it is very painful, then you can also use medications.
• Ensure that your bladder is empty as this can help you in avoiding postpartum hemorrhage.
• In certain cases, surgery is also recommended to treat your condition. Typical surgeries include: hypogastric artery and ligation of the uterus. Both these surgeries can have repercussions on your fertility.

It is very essential to monitor your postpartum bleeding and immediately contact your health care provider if you notice any of the below symptoms:

• If you notice a foul odor
• If you feel faint or dizzy
• If you have the blood clots that are bigger than golf balls
• If the pad is soaked within an hour

However, it will be more exciting if you understand the prenatal development at each stage from the time of conception to childbirth.

The prenatal development in the first month of your pregnancy starts from fertilization, a process where the sperm combines with the ovum in one of the fallopian tubes to form a new egg called zygote.

After fertilization, the new egg descents from the fallopian tubes to the uterus.

Simultaneously, it divides and forms a cluster of cells where the cells separate into three layers: the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm.

The inner group of cells forms the embryo and the outer group of cells forms the membranes, which nourish and protects it.

The placenta also starts forming to carry nutritive substances to the baby as well as to eliminate the wastes all through the pregnancy. Even the amniotic sac starts forming which surrounds and protects the developing embryo.

Also, the nervous system starts developing. At this stage, the embryo will be one-fourth inch long.

In the second month of prenatal development, the embryo will be 1½ inch long where the sides of body indicate the embryo’s arms and legs.

The heart and blood vessels develop; the face and neck forms and starts attaining a human appearance; the head area and eyes starts developing; the muscles, cartilage and sex organs begin to form and sex is notable.

Internal organs such as the digestive system, lungs, liver and intestinal tract also develop. The heart starts beating slightly. At this stage, the embryo will be 1″ long and weighs 1/10 ounce.

In the third month, vocal cords develop and the functioning of digestive system, liver and kidneys also starts. The growth of the brain as well as bone forms rapidly. The arms, legs and fingers start movements. Now, the fetus is 3″ long and weighs 1 ounce.

In the fourth month of prenatal development, the size of the head decreases. The hands and feet attain a shape. The skin becomes dark red and the heartbeat improves. Even the fetal movements are noticeable. Now, the fetus is 7″ long and weighs 5 ounces.

In fifth month, sweat and sebaceous glands form and start functioning. Skin derivatives (hair, fingers nails and toes) also develop. Fetus weighs 14 ounces and 12″ long.

During sixth month of prenatal development, the eyelids and eyes attain a definite shape. The taste buds start appearing on the tongue and in the mouth. The fetus is 14″ long and 2 pounds weight.

In the seventh month, the cerebral hemispheres cover up most of the brain. At this stage, the baby is 15″ long and weighs three pounds.

In the eighth month of prenatal development, subcutaneous fat will be deposited and the fingernails reach the fingertips. The baby is 17″ long and weighs five pounds.

In the last month of prenatal development, the baby sets the proper position for delivery. The baby is 21″ long and weighs 6 pounds.

The first two weeks are counted as a part of 40 weeks although the baby has not conceived yet.

In 28-day menstrual cycle, the best period of conception is between 12-16 days from the first day of menstrual cycle.

When the fertilized egg implants into the uterus wall, you may experience spotting.

During fourth week of pregnancy weekly, you may experience heaviness and soreness in your breasts.

In fifth week, you can take a pregnancy test. You may not have morning sickness yet although your pregnancy test is positive, but you may have sense of smell.

By sixth week of pregnancy, many women experience morning sickness. The uterus swells and put pressure on bladder. Because of hormonal changes in your body, you will feel completely exhausted during seventh week and you may notice decreased appetite due to nausea.

In eighth week, you will experience fatigue, as your body needs to work hard to cope with your baby’s development. There will be watery discharge from your vaginal wall.

During ninth week, you can see the thickening of waistline. As the womb presses on uterus, you suffer from frequent urination.

There are more chances of miscarriage when you are at tenth week of pregnancy weekly. Increase in progesterone levels cause your gums bleed.

You will feel tired and your eyesight may be affected during this week. You will be gaining about 2-3 pounds by eleventh week. Changes in hormones cause mood swings.

When you reach the twelfth week, the nausea and dizziness will calm down though in some women it continues throughout the pregnancy. The risk of miscarriage is decreased by now.

Now you are moving into the second trimester. From 13-16 weeks, you will gain weight as your pregnancy morning sickness starts to disappear. The placenta starts to work. You may experience nosebleeds due to increased blood volume.

From 17-20 weeks, you may gain up to ten pounds. You will notice increase in appetite. Your heart needs to work 40-50 percent harder to cope with your pregnancy. The risk of bladder infections increases during twentieth week due to the relaxation of smooth muscles.

By seeing you, everyone can say you are pregnant from twenty-first week. Your uterus continues to grow. You might have gained up to 14 pounds. There will be no more morning sickness from twenty-second week.

You may experience hemorrhoids in twenty-fifth week. You will have glucose tolerance test to test for gestational diabetes between 24-28 weeks.

As you move onto third trimester, you will find stretch marks as uterus expands. Your uterus extends above your navel. You will feel more discomfort in your pelvis during thirtieth week. You will notice colostrum leakage from breasts.

During 35-week of pregnancy weekly, it is difficult to find comfortable sleeping position. By 37-week, you might have gained 20-25 pounds. Pelvic exam will be done to verify the progress and position of baby.

Some women may have pre-term delivery during 38-week of pregnancy weekly. Your uterus will remain the same in the last two weeks. Leg cramps and backaches continue. When you reach the 40-week of pregnancy weekly, you are soon to have birth now.

The first two weeks of your pregnancy in pregnancy week by week are considered to be the period of ovulation, in which ovum will be produced.

In third week, if fertilization takes place, fertilized egg will get implanted into the uterus.

By the end of fourth week, your urine pregnancy test will likely be positive. In fifth week of pregnancy week by week, your baby will be 5mm long and heart starts beating.

During sixth week of Pregnancy, umbilical cord starts developing, eyes and ears are forming, and other body organs will be under construction.

By seventh week, your baby measures about 7-mm in length by crown-rump length. Hands and legs continue to develop, but fingers have not formed. Brain starts to develop. Lenses of eyes and nasal pits are forming.

In eighth and ninth week, elbow starts forming. The arms and fingers (webbed) develop. There is appearance of eyes, ears, and tip of the nose. Teeth start developing under gums.

In tenth week, almost all joints will be formed. The baby starts moving inside the womb. The eleventh week of pregnancy week by week is called fetus. In this period, the baby’s growth is rapid. Baby’s head is about half the length of body.

The baby continues to grow in twelfth week. Fingers and toes will be separated. Hair and nails start growing. Kidneys start to excrete and intestine practices peristalsis.

During thirteenth week, intestines move into the body of baby. Eyes start to come closer. In this week, baby’s sex can be determined. Liver and pancreas start functioning.

In fourteenth week, the baby starts to move the hands. In this week, baby gets nourishment from the placenta.

Your baby starts to suck the thumb in fifteenth week. Lanugo hair covers the body of your baby. Following week, the bones will get harder and you may feel fetal movements.

In seventeenth week of pregnancy, your baby blinks and swallows. Fat starts to develop beneath skin. Eighteenth week, meconium (baby’s first bowel movement) accumulates. Prostate gland (if boy) starts to develop.

During nineteenth week, vernix caseosa will be formed to protect the skin of fetus. The placenta continues to nourish your baby. In twentieth week of pregnancy, uterus (if girl) starts to develop.

From twenty-first week, the growth will be slowed down. In twenty-second week, eyelids and eyebrows will be formed. The testes (boy) will descent from pelvis to scrotum.

The growth continues and by the end of twenty-sixth week, nostrils begin to open and lungs start secreting surfactant, which helps lungs to expand normally.

In twenty-seventh week, brain continues to grow rapidly so as lungs. Retina starts forming. By twenty-ninth week, most of the body parts are developed and start functioning. In thirtieth week, lanugo starts disappearing. By thirty second week of pregnancy, five senses will be functional.

By the end of thirty-fourth week in pregnancy week by week, brain continues to grow. Baby develops immunities to protect against infections. In thirty-fifth week, your baby has less space in the uterus to move. Testes (boy) have completed their descent.

From the thirty-fifth week to fortieth week, all body parts have developed. Lanugo and vernix will be disappeared. Lungs are maturing. Your baby has less space and may drop into birth canal at anytime. Get prepared for delivery.