Pregnant: What happens in week 12 of pregnancy

The baby's development in the 12th week of pregnancy

A "complete human": In the 12th week of pregnancy, your baby's body and internal organs are formed with all the fundamentals. The fetus is increasingly human proportions and grows very quickly during this time.

Supply via the placenta: While the baby used mostly the resources from the yolk sac in the first weeks, from the 12th week of pregnancy the nutrition exclusively via the umbilical cord and placenta takes place.

Facial expressions and gestures become more refined: Nerve and muscle connections continue to develop and appear more sophisticated. Thus your baby can already in the 12th week of pregnancy yawn or furrow its brow. Its wrists and elbows are also more flexible.

Mouth opening: In week 12 there are already first tooth buds and your baby can open its mouth to drink amniotic fluid. Now and then it even suffers from the occasional hiccup, which you as an expectant mother do not notice yet. These functions are important breathing exercises for the future.

Development of balance and sense of touch: The development of the sense of touch must be a revelation for the baby, because now it perceives its environment more distinctly: It feels the surrounding amniotic fluid and the uterus. These sensory inputs are essential for the fetus's brain development.

Always on the move: No wonder that your baby's muscles and nerve connections form so quickly; after all it is practically constantly on the move. It wiggles, turns, and begins to react to external stimuli. By now it even forms tiny fists and energetically kicks about. You yourself will only perceive your baby's movements around the 20th week of pregnancy.

The first ultrasound examination including risk assessment

If the first ultrasound examination has not yet taken place in the 9th week of pregnancy or in the other two preceding weeks, then now at the latest in week 12 is the time to examine your baby closely. Usually the gynecologist checks during this examination, whether your baby is positioned correctly in the womb, whether the heart beats regularly and whether it is large enough for the calculated pregnancy week. Unlike in week 9, a vaginal probe is not used here; instead the ultrasound is performed by sonography over the abdominal wall takes place. Depending on the result, the doctor adjusts the estimated due date.

Moreover, the first ultrasound examination is often associated with the idea of the prenatal diagnostics which encompasses a series of tests to determine whether your fetus is developing properly or whether you are going through a high-risk pregnancy. Nuchal translucency measurements, the triple test and amniocenteses, to detect a genetic defect or disabilities, usually take place only in week 12, which may mean you had to reschedule your appointment from a few weeks ago to this week of pregnancy.

If you have made it to this point and the examination turned out positive, that means: you have passed the critical phase. The risk of a miscarriage is now significantly reduced. For many expectant parents this is the perfect timing toannounce the pregnancy.

What can be seen on the ultrasound?

In the 12th week of pregnancy the fetus is between 5 and 6 centimeters long and by now very active. The size is comparable to a passion fruit, which is why your little mini-human is now becoming increasingly visible on the ultrasound image. The baby's eyes are moving more toward the middle of the face, which shows up more clearly on the ultrasound. The head is still somewhat larger compared to the body, the forehead typically measures a proud diameter of 20 millimeters. In week 12 the baby already weighs 14 grams – about as much as three pieces of chocolate.

Physical changes – what happens to the mother in week 12?

The uterus of the mother is in the 12th week of pregnancy approximately as big as the average man's fist. Even if not much is visible externally yet, the last week of pregnancy in the first trimester means that many of your pregnancy symptoms are now gone or at least appear in a significantly reduced form show. Your body is now completely adjusted to supplying your baby and knows how to continue to take excellent care of your fetus in the coming months.

Placenta fully developed: By the end of the first trimester the placenta is fully formed and takes over sole supply of the baby until birth. Your organism has now slowly adapted to the larger blood volume and the additional workload of supplying mother and baby. Dizziness and faintness decrease.

The first small baby bump? On closer inspection many women in the 12th week of pregnancy already notice a slight bulge of the belly. It will hardly be noticeable to others, yet your clothes may already be a bit tight. If you are pregnant for the 2nd or 3rd time, the likelihood that you already have a small baby bump in week 12 is greater than in the first pregnancy. In general many pregnant women now gain about about 250 to 300 grams per week and buying comfortable maternity wear may already be worthwhile.

Heartburn: Constant nausea is finally over in week 12; instead many women now experience more frequent heartburn. The growing uterus pushes the surrounding organs in the mother's abdomen together, which causes stomach acid to rise into the esophagus and cause a slight burning. Heartburn can recur throughout the entire pregnancy – but there are effective home remedies, with which you can keep it in check.

Tips for heartburn during pregnancy

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Eat small portions frequently: For digesting small portions, the stomach has to produce less gastric acid, reducing the likelihood of heartburn.

Dairy products: Many women find a sip of milk helps against heartburn. Since calcium requirements are increased during pregnancy anyway, you kill two birds with one stone.

White bread: A piece of untoasted white bread or a soft roll absorbs stomach acid like a sponge; this can help against heartburn in the short term.

Almonds: A traditional home remedy for heartburn is natural almonds. If you chew three to five pieces thoroughly, they neutralize stomach acid and usually relieve heartburn very reliably.

A second pillow for the night: If you elevate your head relatively high, stomach acid has difficulty rising into the esophagus. Therefore, raising the head with a second pillow helps many women sleep.

This is important in the 12th week of pregnancy

Rest: After the strains of the first three months, many women can only now really enjoy their pregnancy. Use this regained well-being for time together with your partner or to relax.
Shop for maternity clothes: Maybe you would like to take a look at maternity pants and -dresses? Many models have an adjustable waistband and grow with the belly. So if your normal clothes are getting tight, it therefore makes sense to buy the first maternity dresses to buy.
Plan a vacation: Many couples use the time around the 5th or 6th month of pregnancy to take one last holiday together and really relax. From the 7th month, when the belly is already very large, longer journeys become rather tiring. Therefore, the beginning of the 4th month of pregnancy is a good time to think about destination and timing.

To the 13th week of pregnancy