sophie's world

5.27.2004

growth and development: week 7

"your baby has an incredible growth spurt this week! at the beginning of the 7th week, the crown-to-rump length of your growing baby is 0.16 to 0.2 inch. this is about the size of a bb pellet. by the end of the week, your baby has more than doubled in size, to 0.44 to 0.52 inch.

leg buds are beginning to appear as short fins. arm buds have grown longer; they had divided into a hand segment and an arm-shoulder segment. the hand and foot have a digital plate where the fingers and toes will develop.

the heart bulges from the body. by this time, it has divided into right and left heart chambers. the primary bronchi are present; bronchi are air passages in the lungs. the cerebral hemispheres, which make up the brain, are also growing. eyes and nostrils are developing.

intestines are developing, and the appendix is present. the pancreas, which produces the hormone insulin, is also present. part of the intestine bulges into the umbilical cord. later in your baby's development, it will return to the abdomen."

--your pregnancy week by week

posted at 3:49 PM by aimee // 0 comments