Fact 1:
Between the first two to eight weeks the embryo begins to develop the major organs and the basic anatomy. Three distinct layers begin to develop and each form different parts. The outer layer forms the skin, hair, teeth, sense organs and the brain and spinal cord. The inner later produces the liver, pancreas and the digestive and respiratory system and the middle layer becomes the muscles, bones, blood and circulatory system.
Fact 2:
Around the 5th week the nervous system begins to function by emitting weak brain waves.
Fact 3:
Even as early as week 8, rudimentary eyes, nose and lips can be recognized and the embryo even has stubby bulges that will later become arms and legs
Fact 4:
A 100,000 neurons are produced every minute during the second month of life and roughly half the fetus is what will be its head.
Fact 5:
By around 12 weeks the fetus can swallow and urinate.
Fact 6:
Also at 12 weeks the fetus’ arms will grow hands, which will grow fingers, which will grow nails.
Fact 7:
At 16 weeks the baby can do somersaults, cry, hiccup, clench its fists, open and close its eyes and suck its thumb.
Fact 8:
During the later half of pregnancy (near the third trimester) the baby urinates upto 1 liter a day. It also swallows the sterile fluid.
Fact 9:
At the beginning of conception the uterus is the size of a pear and by the end of pregnancy the uterus is the size of a medium watermelon.
More interesting facts about pregnancy
Some weird yet interesting facts about pregnancy that you might not have known are:
- Your heart grows in size: During pregnancy, your heart has to pump 50% more blood. To accommodate this extra demand of blood supply, the heart of a mother enlarges during pregnancy.
- Babies cry inside the womb: Research has shown that babies even cry inside the womb as early as 28 weeks. It’s surprising but true and their crying is not always related to their mother’s emotions.
- Craving to eat non-food items: Some women crave to eat non-food items. About 30% of pregnant women experience a strong desire to eat chalks, soap, etc. If they don’t yearn to eat, then they feel like smelling them often.
- Tickling nipples can kick-start labor: Some scientific evidence has shown that if you tickle the nipples of the pregnant woman, her body signals that the body is feeding milk to the baby, releasing oxytocin, which helps kick-start labor.
- Baby born with head full of hair: Women who feel giddy throughout the pregnancy and experience heartburn often deliver babies with hair.
- Expansion of Uterus: The uterus expands from the size of an orange (during 1st trimester) to the size of a watermelon (during 3rd trimester). The uterus grows in length and width.
- Change of Voice: You will notice that your voice may change during pregnancy as the vocal cords swell due to hormonal changes. The voice gets back to normal after delivery.
- Voice recognition: Your baby can recognize your voice inside the womb after the third trimester.
- Breast milk: Pregnant women can produce breast milk as early as in 14 weeks of pregnancy.
- Stretching of skin: On average, a woman has 17 square feet of skin, which stretches to 18.5 square feet by the ninth month of pregnancy.
- Scary dreams: Some pregnant women experience scary irrelevant dreams which are not related to their lives during pregnancy. It is due to constant worries in their subconscious minds about delivery and motherhood.
- Increase in shoe size: Your shoes may not fit anymore. Due to the loosening of ligaments, your foot size grows and may grow by one size bigger. You will have to buy new shoes to fit in.
- Pregnancy symptoms in your partner: Your partner may also show up pregnancy symptoms like feeling giddy, bloated, or feeling a lot more compassionate.
- False Contractions: False contractions, also known as Braxton Hicks contraction, can be calmed down by taking a bath or drinking a glass of water.
- Yawning in womb: The babies yawn in mother’s womb.
- Listening to mothers: Your baby is listening to you after 6 months of pregnancy.