12 Weeks Pregnant

12 Weeks Pregnant

How is Your Baby Growing at 12 Weeks?

Week 12 marks the end of the first trimester I’m your pregnancy. Your baby is now fully formed, even though it’s still extremely small.

 

Their face is fully formed and the eyes are at the front of the head (the eyelids are still closed at this point). The arms, legs, fingers, and toes are formed into visible limbs and your baby is starting to move its fingers, toes, eyes, and mouth.

 

The lungs begin to function and your baby is beginning to breathe using the animistic fluid that surrounds them. The placenta is now fully formed and is supplying the foetus with oxygen and nutrients for growth and development.

 fetus at 12 weeks

How Big is Your Baby at 12 Weeks?

At week 12, your baby is 5.5 cm (about the size of a plum) and weighs 14 g.

 

What Happens at 12 Weeks?

If you haven’t already, you will have your first ultrasound scan at week 12. This is called the dating scan. This is performed to see how old the foetus is and give you an estimated delivery date.

 

The dating scan may include something called a nuchal translucency (NT) scan. This is part of combined screening to check for three genetic conditions, Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome, and Patau’s syndrome.

 

At this stage, you may also be advised to get flu and whooping cough vaccinations to protect yourself and your baby.

 

What Symptoms Will You Have at 12 Weeks?

At the end of the first trimester of your pregnancy, you will have a protruding pregnant belly as your uterus will be extending above your pelvic bone.

 

Your hormones will start to balance out a little but you may still have some symptoms. In particular, heartburn is common at this stage due to the high levels of progesterone in your body.