Your baby is the size of a Lime
Your baby is now approximately 2.5 to 2.8 inches (6.4 to 7 cm) long from crown to rump. At this point, your baby should weigh about 0.3 to 0.5 ounces (8.5 to 14.2 grams).
At week 12, your baby is fully formed. Though its brain and organs will continue to grow and develop, it has all the necessary pieces. However, it wouldn’t be able to survive outside of the womb yet. Your baby’s brain will continue to grow from this point on but will maintain its current shape. The pituitary gland, located at the base of your baby's brain, is also beginning to produce hormones this week.
The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close. His or her mouth will make sucking movements. Toes will curl, and eye muscles will clench. Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously.
Your baby has also started developing nerves and a spinal cord which allows him or her to feel some types of pain. Fingers and toes have separated and hair and nails are starting to form.
Your baby’s vocal cords also form this week. In addition, the kidneys begin to function as the baby starts swallowing amniotic fluid and passing it out as urine. Your baby’s digestive tract is also strengthening.
Most importantly, your baby’s heart is beginning to pump several quarts of blood daily. This can be heard with the aid of a doppler (a special listening device). The heartbeat will be very fast, like the clicking of horse hooves.
The external genitalia have also developed and will begin showing signs of either the male or female sex. Though your health care provider may guess the gender, there is still a lot of uncertainty.
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