The fourth week, when it comes to baby development milestones, is one of the biggest. Why? This is the week that you are likely going to miss your period, which means that it will be the week that you start wondering about whether or not you are pregnant. Here are some of the things that are going to be going on during this period of time, and the baby development milestones that you can look forward to.

• When you reach your fourth week of pregnancy, the growing baby's body has three different distinct layers, and all of his or her organs are going to develop from these three unique layers.
• Between the third and the fourth weeks of pregnancy, one of the greatest baby development milestones is that your baby is growing to the point where it is as long as the head of a pin, which is about 1/25 of an inch in length.

The Placenta

During the fourth week of your pregnancy, one of the biggest baby development milestones relates to the placenta. This is something that is responsible for carrying nutrients from your body into the baby's body, and this is the week when it begins its formation. It is made primarily from the tissues of the baby, but it gets help from some of the cells in your body.

• At four weeks of pregnancy, your placenta is going to continue to thicken, and it will do so until you reach around the fourth month of your pregnancy.
• The placenta is designed to be able to match up with the needs of your body and your baby, providing nutrients to your baby to make sure that the right nutrients are constantly being provided based on his or her development.
• Although the placenta is comprised of shared tissue, the placenta doesn't allow for your blood and your baby's blood to come into direct contact with one another.

The Changes in Your Body

By the time you reach four weeks in pregnancy, you have already missed your first period and it is time for you to take a pregnancy test.

• Home pregnancy tests measure a hormone known as hCG that is produced by your body once a fertilized egg has attached itself to your uterine wall, which happens between six and twelve days following fertilization.
• Most commercial pregnancy tests recommend waiting until after you miss your period because the longer that you wait, the more accurate that the test is going to be.
• The best time to take a pregnancy test is early on in the morning, right around when you are urinating for the first time because this is when the level of hCG in your body is going to be the highest, giving you the clearest possible result.

Photo Credits: -julianol-

Originally posted 2009-11-13 03:28:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Nutrition Fitness Life, Pregnancy/Motherhood

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baby development milestones, cells, direct contact, distinct layers, fert, first period, hcg, head of a pin, home pregnancy tests, nutrients, organs, period of time, placenta, pregnancy test, tissues, week of pregnancy, weeks of pregnancy