Fetus

Fetuses develop the auditory system by week 25 and respond to music by week 28. Newborns can remember music heard in the womb, and they seem to have better motor and cognitive skills, faster language development, longer attention spans, better sleep, and fewer instances of colic. Play music or sing to your unborn baby, but don't experiment with loud or unusual sounds or noise. It could affect the baby’s health.

Loud noises during pregnancy can have a trail of negative impacts on the developing fetus. Constant exposure to noise above 120 decibels may cause hearing loss in the babies. Sudden loud noises can startle the baby leading to increased activity. Harsh noises also cause fetal abnormalities, reduced birth weight, preterm delivery, and can change the structure of the fetal brain.

Peanuts can keep you full thanks to their unsaturated fats, proteins, and fiber. You’ll be less likely to binge eat, making it easier to lose weight. The unsaturated fats also improve cholesterol levels and blood pressure, so you’ll have a lower risk of heart disease. If you’re dealing with skin problems or arthritis, the anti-inflammatory properties of peanuts will help. They also prevent skin cancer by protecting your skin from sun damage.

Fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS in babies and children is the direct fallout of maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. It manifests in the form of genetic anomalies, permanent brain damage, prenatal or postnatal growth restriction, abnormal facial features or bone growth. While FAS is incurable, early diagnosis, intervention treatment services may help.

A fetus's heartbeat begins soon after fertilization and is visible from the sixth week of pregnancy. Ultrasound devices can help doctors track fetal heart rate and detect any possible heart defects early on. A closer surveillance is needed for high-risk pregnancy conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and problems with fetal growth.

Usually noticeable in your second or third trimester, fetal hiccups are a normal reflex preparing the fetus's lungs for a healthy respiratory function after birth. In addition, it could also be a sign of the development of suckling and gasping patterns. However, seek medical care if bouts of hiccups occur daily after 28 weeks of pregnancy, greater than 4 times per day.

Morning sickness, or nausea and vomiting, in the first trimester indicates that you have enough human chorionic gonadotropin hormone your fetus needs to grow and your placenta is thick enough to supply nutrients to the fetus. Plus, vomiting removes toxins. If the vomiting is unremitting and you're losing weight, see a doc. But please note that the lack of morning sickness doesn't mean your pregnancy is problematic.

Fetal monitoring, in one form or another, has been around for a very long time. Prior to the 1970s, fetal monitoring was typically done with a person listening to your baby with a special stethoscope designed for use in pregnancy, often called afetoscope. (This is called auscultation.) 1. Reading a Fetal[.....]