Pregnancy is a miraculous part of life, a gift given to women. In the 40 weeks of pregnancy, a woman goes through a number of physical and emotional changes. Many women take interest in the changes they go through during their pregnancy, week by week. Many a woman knows she is pregnant when the first pregnancy symptom - out of the many symptoms - rears its head. Women take pleasure in recording all that they go through during their pregnancy in a pregnancy journal. It is important that they maintain good pregnancy health for their own benefit and for that of the little life they are bringing forth.

Changes During Pregnancy

Many changes take place in your body while you are pregnant. The changes vary from woman to woman. Let us look at the changes that occur in pregnancy week by week.

Week 1 starts with your last period, by week 4 fertilization takes place, and the new life begins. During weeks 5 to 8 you miss your period, and a test will confirm pregnancy. By week 7, morning sickness may start. During this period, the fetus develops rapidly.

Further development in pregnancy, week by week, occurs during the weeks 9 to 14. Your body continues to grow, and the baby starts moving inside, though you may not notice. Morning sickness subsides by week 12 and by week 14 you can hear your baby's heartbeat through a stethoscope. Through weeks 15 to 20, you begin to feel the baby moving inside and its bones start to harden. The baby's internal organs start to develop and, during this period, an ultrasound can easily determine your baby's gender.

Up to week 20, many women are comparatively free, and read a lot about pregnancy week by week experiences to learn what to expect. During weeks 21 to 24 you may begin to feel slight contractions. Your baby begins practicing breathing, preparing itself for the life to come. By week 24, fat deposits begin to develop in your baby.

During weeks 25 to 28 your baby begins to sense light and darkness, and starts to hear sounds from outside. During weeks 29 to 32, your baby's head is growing rapidly, and its brain and eyes are fully developed. By week 32, only the lungs are not yet fully developed.

Weeks 33 to 36 start by your baby being able to open and close its eyes and its fingernails begin to grow. By week 36, your baby could weigh 4 pounds and could be about 16 inches long.

Weeks 37 to 40 are the final stages of pregnancy week by week. All major organs are fully developed and the lung still developing. Your baby could be born any time during this period.