Week 12 of Pregnancy

At 12 weeks, most of your baby’s systems are fully formed, though they still need to mature. These include: 

• Circulatory system: heart, blood vessels, and blood 

• Urinary system: kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra 

• Reproductive system: reproductive organs specific to males or females 

Likewise, the little one’s digestive system is practicing contraction movements. The digestive system, in turn, is divided into three main parts (that are still growing and developing): 

1. Foregut: esophagus, liver, stomach, and pancreas 

2. Midgut: Small intestine and large intestine (colon) 

3. Hindgut: Large intestine, rectum, and anus 

What else is going on with your baby? Their bone marrow is producing white blood cells, which will allow them to fight off germs when they’re out in the world. Likewise, the liver has been busy generating red blood cells to deliver oxygen. 

But perhaps the most endearing development this week is that it is possible for the little bud’s heartbeat to be detected with a fetal Doppler device. This device is a noninvasive, handheld ultrasound test that detects changes in movement and translates them as sound waves to check your baby’s heartbeat. If you get this test and cannot hear the little one’s heartbeat yet, don’t fret! You will soon.