Fetal Development: A Case Study

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To think that the human body is capable of creating and developing a life is mind boggling but it is truly amazing. Fetal development is remarkable once the whole forty weeks is broken down into smaller steps.
The Trimesters
Each trimester lasts between twelve and thirteen weeks, and the first trimester of pregnancy which is weeks one through twelve. Fertilization happens during weeks one and two meaning that conception doesn’t actually happen until week three (Mayo Clinic, 2014). At week four the fertilized egg attaches to the uterus and then then the miracle truly beings to happen. Weeks five through twelve are when the baby starts to take shape, the heart begins to pump blood and the brain has developed and growing rapidly. Along with the
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Some of the big things include being able to find out the sex of the baby and feeling the baby kick for the first time. The second trimester is also when the mom 's belly really starts to grow because the baby is developing and growing so quickly by this point. By week eitghtteen the baby’s former soft cartilage is turning into bone and it is able to move its limbs (Fetal Development, 2014). By week nineteen the baby as developed all of its senses and is able to hear the mom 's voice. At week twenty one the baby’s digestive and urinary systems are developed and starting to function. At week Twenty four all of the baby’s features are becoming more defined and prominent and the baby is about the size of an ear of corn (Fetal Development, 2014). At week twenty six the baby is now inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which helps develop his lungs. These breathing movements are good practice for that first breath of air at birth. Week twenty seven is the final week of the second trimester and the baby now sleeps and wakes on a regular schedule, and its brain is very active. Its lungs aren 't fully formed, but they could function outside the womb with medical …show more content…
The risk of complications increases the earlier the baby is born. If a baby is born any time before thirty seven weeks it is considered to be premature. The major concern in cases of premature labor is the development of the newborn’s lungs. Most babies have fully developed lungs by the thirty seventh week of pregnancy, but if the baby is born before the baby is fully developed there are multiple complications that could onset. These complications include but are not limited to pneumonia, bradycardia, an infection (American Pregnancy, 2015). Pneumonia is an infection in the area of the lung involved in the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen. It causes inflammation, which furthermore reduces the amount of space available for the exchange of air. This can result in inadequate amounts of oxygen for the baby. Treatment can include antibiotics, supplemental oxygen and intubation (American Pregnancy, 2015). Bradycardia occurs when the baby’s heart rate struggles to stay above one hundred beats per minute. Typically a slight tap or simple rub on the back will remind the baby to breath and also increases the heart rate (American Pregnancy, 2015). INfection may occur simply because the baby isn 't able to fight off certain

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