Building blocks of life

Long before you see the pregnancy, your baby in the womb already possesses all the important characteristics of a human being, it even has its own emotions.

Race to create a new life

During conception, many millions of male sperm cells move toward the egg. But only the fastest and strongest reaches the fallopian tube and penetrates the protective egg shell. When the nuclei of the egg and sperm fuse, 23 chromosomes each from the father and mother come together in pairs to form the 46 chromosomes of the child. The chromosomes contain genes on which the hereditary characteristics are fixed. The time of fertilization is about 14 days after the beginning of the last period.

If you want to grow big and strong ..
… must grow vigorously.

Therefore, immediately after fertilization the cell nucleus division begins. The rapidly growing egg travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus and nests in its lining.

The placenta

After the egg nests in the uterine wall, the placenta forms and embryo development begins. The placenta is connected to the child via the umbilical cord and supplies the child with nutrients and oxygen from the mother's bloodstream. On the other hand, metabolic products of the unborn child are discharged this way. Another task of the placenta is hormone production. The pregnancy hormone HCG, for example, stimulates the formation of progesterone. This is important so that the uterus does not expel the embryo. In addition, the placenta, like a filter, prevents the penetration of many harmful substances and pathogens from the mother's bloodstream.

Protection for your child

While the baby grows in your belly, your body adjusts completely to the care of the child. Especially the uterus increases significantly in size and weight. The cervix, through which the sperm has migrated to the egg, is sealed with a mucus plug during pregnancy. It prevents germs from entering and thus protects the baby from infections.

4. – 5. Week
While the embryo was barely the size of a needle in the first weeks of life, it already measures about four millimeters at the age of thirty days. His body now already shows signs of arms and legs, eyes and ears. A plump head and deeply indented mouth can also already be seen. The development of the spine, brain and nervous system has begun. The heart is already beating and the child's blood circulation is forming.

6. – 7. Week
The cycle is now gaining importance and the embryo is already forming its own red blood cells. Hands, feet and the retina of the eyes are created. In the seventh week the unborn is about two centimeters tall.

8. – 11. Week
At two months, the embryo is already almost four centimeters tall. Cell division now occurs at longer intervals, which means that the growth rate is reduced. Now all internal organs (such as lungs, liver and kidneys) are already present. During the ultrasound examination, the heartbeat can already be clearly perceived. The little hands are already equipped with all the fingers and the toes of the feet are also present. You can clearly see the nose, lips, eyes, ears, and upper and lower jaws. The anlagen of the sexual organs have now also already formed.

12. – 15. Week
Between the third and fourth month, the fetus reaches a length of 15 centimeters and weighs 150 grams. His facial features are becoming clearer and the organs are beginning to control and direct each other. The placenta is now also growing considerably to accommodate the demanding organism.

16. – 22. Week
Between the fourth and fifth month, the baby grows downy hairs (lanugo) all over the body. From the fifth month onwards, a white, cream-like protective layer, the "cheese goo", forms on the skin. It protects the baby's delicate skin from the amniotic fluid. The maturation of the nervous system begins at the end of the fourth month and the maturation of the brain in the fifth month. At about four months, the unborn baby opens and closes its mouth. The baby occasionally gets amniotic fluid in its mouth, which it initially swallows by reflex. Later, it regularly drinks amniotic fluid and excretes it again via the kidneys and bladder.

23. – 30. Week
In the meantime, the baby has already grown proficiently. It weighs more than a kilo and is up to forty centimeters tall. His central nervous system is fully developed. Now it can sense sounds from the outside. From the sixth month, the baby is conditionally viable outside the womb.

31. – 40. Week
The ultrasound examination now already shows a real baby and can even determine the gender. Up to 34. In the second week, most children turn from the breech position to the cranial or normal position, the correct starting position for birth. The baby's head now gradually slides deeper into the mother's pelvis. In the 39. At the end of the third week, baby's growth almost stops, there is about a week left until birth.