Your Baby in week 10
Your Baby in week 10:
By week 10, all of your baby's vital organs have been formed
and are starting to work together.
As external changes such as the separation of fingers and
toes and the disappearance of the tail takes place,
internal developments are taking place too. Tooth
buds form inside the mouth, and if you're having
a boy, his testes will begin producing the male hormone testosterone.
Congenital abnormalities are unlikely to develop
after week 10. This also marks the end of the
embryonic period — in general, the embryo now
has a distinctly human appearance and starting
next week your baby will officially be considered a fetus.
What's going on with You:
Your first prenatal visit, which often takes place around
this time, is a milestone. At the doctor's office, you'll
go through a series of tests and checks, including having
your weight and blood pressure checked. You might also
have an external abdominal examination to check the
size and position of your baby and have your urine
tested. During this first prenatal visit, your
health care provider will thoroughly examine you,
including an internal examination and a breast
exam. Your health care provider will also ask
you many questions about your medical history
and any family health problems, to determine if
your baby is at risk for genetic diseases. Another
thing your provider will check? Your baby's
heartbeat! Using a Doppler stethoscope, you
should get to hear it for the first time.
As you leave your first appointment, your
health care provider will probably send you
for a blood test to find out whether you are
immunized against varicella, measles, mumps,
and rubella (German measles), as well as to
determine your blood type and Rh factor.
next week 11
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