Brain Development - First Trimester of Pregnancy

 
 
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At five weeks…

Your baby doesn’t even look much like a baby. But the developing brain is hard at work. The neural plate has folded on itself, grows longer, and by 6 weeks, it is a closed neural tube divided into 3 main sections (fore-, mid-, and hindbrain) as well as the part that becomes the spinal cord (next to the hindbrain).

These three sections develop into the cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, pituitary gland and the hypothalamus.

From five through nine weeks

Nerve development is happening now, fairly quickly (there are over 100 billion neurons by the time the baby is born). Special neural cells are traveling throughout the body of the fetus, communicating with each other via the microscopic “hairs & branches” coming off of each neuron.

The communication between the neurons - synaptic communication - triggers the beginning of movement, such as curling into the fetal position. At 13 weeks, before the mother can feel any movement, the baby is already wiggling it’s arms and legs.

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by the end of the first trimester…

More and more neurons are developing and communicating, especially in the motor (movement) area of the brain (the cerebellum).

Neurons are developing at the rate of 250,000 neurons per minute.

The baby’s head is still almost half of it’s body (although the body WILL catch up), and the body is developing the sense of touch.