Baby waves hello!
Baby’s hands and feet are developing quickly this week— finger and toe joints develop and separate. The baby can now move their hands, wave their arms, and bend their elbows and knees. This week, the fetus's tail disappears [1].
All the major organs and systems of the body continue to develop. With the two hemispheres already formed, the brain separates into its three main parts [2]. In the digestive system, the intestines start to form, as do the liver and pancreas [3]. In the respiratory system, the embryonic trachea branches out into the bronchi. As part of the endocrine system, the kidneys, adrenal glands, and ureters develop further. `
What we see on an ultrasound
On an ultrasound, your baby’s movements can let you know if they are asleep or awake.
In the first picture, the large dark oval is the amniotic sac. Notice the baby’s posture: they are lying with their back toward the frontal wall of the uterus, and we can see that the baby’s back has straightened.
At this stage of pregnancy, the baby's bones and skeletal muscles are growing stronger. In this picture, the baby’s arms are pressed to their chest. Baby’s arms are still growing faster than their legs.
Baby’s head is clearly visible in the image and you can see that their head has begun to grow rounder.
amniotic sac
the head of the embryo
arm
The next photo shows twins. In this case, the amniotic septum is absent. In simple terms, identical twins are the result of a single egg fertilized by a single sperm that then divides. In all likelihood the babies will look exactly like each other, like two drops of water! Especially because identical twins are always the same sex.
One baby is visible in the upper left corner. The bright circle to the left of the head is the yolk sac. You can see the baby’s arms are bent at the elbows.
The babies are facing one another. In the lower part of their body, the black round dot is the bladder. The circle just above them and to the right is their yolk sac. The endometrial layer around the common amniotic sac is visible.
yolk sac
two embryos
endometrium
