Baby Developing inside you

Fetal Development


Baby developing inside you
over the weeks and months
baby inside



 

Weeks, Months and Trimesters Guides

 
Your Weekly Guide  Your Monthly Guide Your Trimester Guide
 
 
 
 
 
 

  

Week Twenty Four: Practices breathing

  
You are 24 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 22 weeks)
  • The child is now gaining around 3 ounces (90 grams) a week.
  • Baby weighs about 1.3 pounds and is 12 inches long.
  • Baby weighs about 600 grams and is 30cm (crown to heel) long.
  • The eyelids can be seen very clearly.
  • If born at this stage is officially considered viable, they may well be able to survive.
Your baby is producing surfactant. This is stuff that keeps the small air sacs in our lungs from collapsing. The unborn baby is covered with a fine, downy hair and the skin is protected by a waxy substance. Some of this substance may still be on the child's skin at birth at which time it will be quickly absorbed. The baby practices breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid into developing lungs.

24 weeksBaby gains about 3 ounces this week. The weight is in muscle, bone mass and organs. The body begins to fill out with his appearance increasingly becoming more like a newborn. Taste buds begin to form. If mom drinks something strange or bitter, baby may be observed showing his or her distaste.

Little creases have appeared on his palms. The muscular coordination of the hands has improved as they sucks their thumb. Over the next week or so, the sweat glands will be forming in the skin. The lungs are developing branches of the respiratory tree and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.


After this week your baby is officially considered viable. 36% of babies can survive premature birth at 24 weeks - However, serious complications are still possible.

Baby now weighs about 1.3 pound (600gm) and is around 12 inches (30cm) long.

<<< Week 23  |  Month 6  |  Week 25 >>>


  

Week By Week Pregnancy Calendar

 
First Trimester
Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4   Week 5   Week 6   Week 7  
Week 8   Week 9   Week 10   Week 11   Week 12   Week 13
Second Trimester
Week 14   Week 15   Week 16   Week 17   Week 18   Week 19   Week 20  
Week 21   Week 22   Week 23   Week 24   Week 25   Week 26
Third Trimester
Week 27   Week 28   Week 29   Week 30   Week 31   Week 32   Week 33  
Week 34   Week 35   Week 36   Week 37   Week 38   Week 39   Week 40