ELEVENTH WEEK

At 11 wks: 5½ cms in length about 10 gms weight.

The baby now looks like a small human baby although the head is large compared to the rest of the body and the limbs are small and thin. Development at this stage include:

• Continued development of the head whereby it becomes more round.
• Completion of the formation of eyes.
• Completion of the inner and middle parts of the ear and continued development of the external ear.
• Rapid growth of the limbs and more clear fingers and toes. They are however joined together.
• Increased movement of the limbs and spine
• Initial development of the ovaries and testicles and the external genitalia. It is however difficult to determine the sex of the baby just by its appearance.
• Congenital abnormalities due to exposure to some factors occur before eleventh week of pregnancy. Once the body parts and organs have developed, the risk of severe or major congenital abnormalities is greatly reduced.