You Are 7 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby is growing at an incredible rate.

During this week, the cartilage that began to develop in Week 5 starts to ossify (turn into bone), and significant changes occur in the lower limbs. The areas that will become the knees and ankles begin to harden. Within the next few days, the ulna (one of the forearm bones) also begins to develop.

Tiny finger buds appear on your baby's hands. Interestingly, the upper limbs develop earlier than the lower limbs, and the upper lip forms before the lower lip.

At this stage, your baby's body and limbs begin to make spontaneous movements as the connections between the muscles and nervous system become stronger. However, you will not be able to feel these movements yet, as your baby is still very small.

Your baby's brain continues to grow and develop more rapidly than any other organ.

During this period, the developing teeth begin to form within the gums. The heart becomes four-chambered, and at this stage its energy expenditure is approximately 20% of that of an adult heart.

The baby's body cavity also divides into two compartments: one containing the heart and lungs, and the other containing the abdominal organs.

By the seventh week after fertilization, the embryo measures approximately 16–18 mm in length and weighs about 0.94 grams—roughly the weight of one teaspoon of water.