What’s happening to the mother?
In the first few weeks of pregnancy, few people feel any signs that they are pregnant. Week four is usually the time for a new period. If this does not happen, or you have an abnormally small amount of bleeding, it may be a sign that you are pregnant.
The length of a pregnancy is calculated from the first day of bleeding in your last period, which is about two weeks before you became pregnant.
As early as possible in pregnancy, and preferably before you become pregnant, you should take a dietary supplement containing folate. You should take 400 micrograms per day, until the 12th week of pregnancy.
Dietary supplements with folate can prevent spina bifida and neural tube defects in the child.
Development of the fetus
At the start of a pregnancy, foetal growth is relatively linear. Individual differences in length and weight increase in line with gestational age. The term of a pregnancy is calculated from the first day of bleeding during the last menstrual period, i.e. around two weeks before actual fertilisation.
During this period, the egg cell and sperm will fuse to form a fertilised egg. The cells in the fertilised egg will divide and this is now called a blastocyst. The blastocyst forms two parts. One part will develop into the foetus itself. The other will develop into the placenta, which will supply the future foetus with nutrition.
The blastocyst attaches to the uterine lining approximately one week after fertilisation.
The term of a pregnancy is calculated from the first day of bleeding during the last menstrual period, i.e. around two weeks before actual fertilisation.