At Week 10 of pregnancy, the baby officially completes embryonic development and moves to the fetal development stage. The baby is growing by leaps and bounds, weighing more than 7 gms.
The mother may show pregnancy symptoms, and her baby bump is just beginning to show. The veins become visible, increase in vaginal discharge are some dominating pregnancy symptoms this week. But, for those who still have no noticeable pregnancy symptoms, that’s normal too.
Let’s delve into the baby’s developmental character and pregnancy symptoms at week 10 of pregnancy.
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In this Article
How is the Baby’s Development @ Week 10 of Pregnancy
The baby at week 10 is about the size of a strawberry with recognizable facial features developed, eyes hidden behind the eyelids, the ears growing on either side of the fetal head. At 10 weeks of pregnancy, your baby measures 1.2inchs in length and weighs 3.96g in weight. The other developments seen through the week are as follows.
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The Budding of Teeth Buds
Even though the baby’s teeth are only visible at 6 months after its birth, the baby’s twenty little tooth buds are forming in place within the gums this week.
The Bone Formations
The bones and its connecting tissues or cartilage of the baby are developing. The baby is getting stronger with small impressions of the legs shaping into knees and ankles while the indentations of the hands form the flexing elbows and wrists.
The Functional Digestive Tract and Kidneys
The baby’s digestive system and the kidneys are operational to produce enough digestive juices and urine. The heart is now a four-chambered heart where the two atria receive the blood, and the two ventricles pump the blood to the lungs.
Another wondrous development this week is that the baby’s reproductive organs have also started to produce testosterone (in a boy) or tiny eggs (in a girl).
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To-Be-Mom @ Week 10 of Pregnancy
It is week 10 of pregnancy, and the growing uterus, housing the baby, is about the size of an orange. The early pregnancy symptoms persist at week 10 of pregnancy. Some of them include:
- The pregnancy hormones may slow down the bowel movements in the mother, causing constipation.
- The lower bottom might be slightly roundish, and fitting into old jeans may not be easy.
- The veins across the breasts and the stomach become prominently visible because of the increased blood supply for the nourishing baby. As the pregnancy advances, the veins of the hands and legs will also become broad and visible.
- Increased tiredness or fatigue
- The pesky uneasiness of the stomach, nausea, and vomiting- morning sickness
- Unusual food aversions and food cravings
- Increase in gastric juices causing heartburn, indigestion, bloating, and gas.
- The pregnancy hormone estrogen causes an increased blood flow in the pelvic region promoting excess thin, white vaginal discharge and cervical mucus formations.
- Occasional headaches, dizziness, or giddiness
- The ligaments of either side of the stomach stretch to accommodate the growing uterus and baby. As the abdomen gets heavier with advancing pregnancy, you may observe sharp or dull pain of the ligaments, fancied as round ligament pain.
- Heightened sensitivity to smell.
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Things to consider at Week 10 of Pregnancy
As pregnancy progresses, pregnancy symptoms keep the mother-to-be engaged, and certain things will need extra care during this time. Here are some of the tips pregnant women need to consider at week 10 of pregnancy.
- Include fiber-rich foods and plenty of fluids to avoid constipation or ease your struggle with constipation.
- Your nutritional intake must include iron, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, proteins, and low carbohydrate/ sugars.
- While taking a good rest, keep the exercise, yoga, and walking routine going to help energize and manage fatigue.
- Avoid skipping meals, taking stress, and foods causing queasy digestion issues. Instead, involve nutritious food intake and have small meals more frequently to manage stomach issues, bloating, and morning sickness.
- If food aversions have kept your weight low until now, it is fine as the baby’s nutritional needs are minuscule.
- Avoid fried, oily, and spicy foods. Indulge in cravings once in a while to maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy. Carry healthy snacks for a quick blood sugar boost.
- While sleeping, keep the head at 6 inches high to prevent heartburn and indigestion issues.
- Keep going with the routine of prenatal supplements as suggested by your obstetrician.
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Can a pregnant woman get vaccinated for covid-19?
If you are pregnant and due to get vaccinated for covid-19, it is required to know that the m-RNA covid-19 vaccines and the booster dose are safe to be taken by a pregnant woman. Vaccination during pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), helps build antibodies that protect the baby.
And being that Covid-19 vaccination is proven to show no adverse pregnancy-related outcomes, it is advised to talk to the doctor and take the covid-19 shot to protect your pregnancy from SARS CoV2 infection complications.
Is there any genetic screening done at week 10 of pregnancy?
Women/ couples with advanced maternal age (>= 35) or have a history of a previous child with genetic defects can consider having a Noninvasive Prenatal test (NIPT) or Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) between week 10 to week 13 of pregnancy to rule out the presence of genetic abnormalities in the fetus. In NIPT, the maternal blood is drawn to test the extracted fetal DNA, and in CVS, the chorionic villi tissue sample is removed from the placenta for screening.
Conclusion/ Take-Away
The baby’s growth is happening rapidly where the fetus is more than an inch and a half in size at week 10 of pregnancy. Mother’s-to-be needs to manage pregnancy symptoms, maintain a healthy nutritional diet, exercise module, and yoga with expert guidance. Every pregnancy experience is unique yet different.
Connect with your Health care professional for more information on when to get vaccinated for Covid-19, other pregnancy queries, and details.
Reference
Overview | NHS