28 weeks is the time when the baby will be born very soon. This article will tell you about the features of the development of the fetus at this time.
Anatomical features
By the 28th week of pregnancy, the baby is already quite well developed. Most of the fetal body systems are already functioning.
The size of the baby also changes. Every day the child weighs more and more. It is important to note that this period is characterized by more intense body weight gain with a relatively slow increase in height.
To assess how well the baby is developing in the mother's womb, doctors resort to a special ultrasound examination. Experts call it fetometry. This medical term is deciphered quite simply: in Latin "fetus" means "offspring", and "metrio" is interpreted as "measuring." Thus, under fetometry, doctors mean a research method in which the main parameters of the fetal body are determined.
The most important informative criteria are the baby's height and weight. However, there are other medical parameters of intrauterine development that can be determined by the specialist performing fetometry. Normal values of some of the determined parameters of the fetal body are presented in the table below.
After the fetometry has been carried out, the specialist who conducted this examination issues a conclusion to the pregnant woman. In it, he indicates all the obtained values of the investigated parameters of the fetal body.
It is important to note that a study conclusion is not a diagnosis. It must be interpreted by the attending physician who monitors the course of pregnancy.
How does the baby develop?
The nervous system of the fetus undergoes a number of changes. The structure of the cerebral cortex is changing every day. The number of convolutions in the fetus increases daily. This feature leads to the fact that the baby's behavior becomes more orderly. The fetus also increases the amount of movement it makes.
Interestingly, at 28 weeks of pregnancy, the child already has dreams. In this case, the entire sleep of the baby can be divided into several stages successively replacing each other. Dreaming consists of superficial and deep sleep. In the stage of superficial sleep, the eyes of a child are usually ajar. In deep sleep, his eyelids are already fully closed.
A change in the structure of the cerebral cortex leads to the fact that quite a lot of different nerve impulses appear in it. At 28 weeks, these are no longer only responses to stimuli coming from the external environment. Some scientists believe that at this time, the fetus even forms its character.
The active development of the cerebral cortex and sensory organs contributes to the fact that the fetus already has its own sensations. So, the baby can detect taste, react to bright light and too loud sounds. The fetus may also react to the inhalation of unpleasant odors from the mother. It is scientifically noted that at 28 weeks of gestation, the child develops the ability to respond to painful stimuli.
Interesting changes are taking place in the boys' bodies. In some boys, the testicles begin to descend into the scrotum, but this process is quite individual, and the descent of the testicles from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum does not always occur during pregnancy. However, experts believe that the best period for this process is the time of intrauterine development.
Girls already have a specific set of eggs that are in the ovaries. Without a sufficient number of full-fledged female germ cells, the future reproductive function of a woman is impossible. That is why doctors note that the female reproductive system is formed during the period of intrauterine development.
A baby who is in an aquatic environment can swallow amniotic fluid. This process is very important and necessary for the full development of digestion in a child. Scientists have found that the fetus is able to swallow about 500 ml of amniotic fluid per day.
In the process of swallowing liquid, the pectoral muscles play an active part. Its active development is necessary so that after birth the baby can take his first independent breath in his life. After swallowing amniotic fluid, the baby usually hiccups. This reaction is quite normal and physiological.
Doctors note that a baby born at 28 weeks of gestation is already viable, but nursing it requires special conditions and the necessary medical devices. Only with such careful care can the baby be ready for further independent life.
What does it look like?
By the 28th week, the baby who "lives" in the mother's belly is already well developed. So, the child already has many joints movable, he actively moves his arms and legs, he can bend small fingers. Every day the baby looks more and more like a small child. His body proportions and facial features change. Hair is actively growing on the baby's body. At 27-28 weeks of gestation, a special pigment begins to appear in them, which determines the color of the hair.
The kid can even blink. His eyes are covered with eyelids from the outside, so that the child is able to open and close his eyes. The baby also develops swallowing and sucking reflexes.
Movement
The baby's motor activity at this stage of pregnancy is quite high. The fetus can knock with its arms and legs on the walls of the uterus, causing specific sensations in its mother. The woman feels like her baby is pushing or kicking her belly.
The more active the child is, the more intense his physical activity. Calm babies, as doctors note, push and turn over in the womb much less than fidget children.
A variety of different factors affect the motor activity of the baby. An increase in active movements can lead to hypoxia. This condition is characterized by an insufficient supply of oxygen to the child's body, in this case, the provision of the respiratory function of the fetus is disrupted, which leads to an increase in motor activity.
Stress and strong negative experiences of the mother have an extremely adverse effect on the baby. During pregnancy, not only physiological, but also psychoemotional connection is formed between a woman and her child. The negative life events that a woman suffers at this time have an adverse effect on the fetus. If the baby is pushing hard, then the reason for this may be the discomfort experienced by the fetus.
With an increase in physical activity, the expectant mother should definitely consult with her attending physician. The doctor must determine the possible cause of the disorders that have arisen and draw up a plan to improve the general condition of both the pregnant woman herself and her baby.
How is it located in the womb?
The location of the baby in the uterus is called presentation. To assess the position of the baby in the womb, doctors study where the main parts of the fetus's body (head, buttocks, arms and legs) are located. A comprehensive assessment of the location of the baby in the uterus enables doctors to evaluate the presentation.
The most favorable option for how the fetus can be located in the uterus is cephalic presentation. In this case, the baby is lying correctly from a physiological point of view. Its head is at the bottom, the first towards the birth canal.
The lateral position is considered less favorable. In this case, the fetus lies, as it were, across the longitudinal axis of the uterus. In this case, the main large parts of the baby's body are located perpendicular to the longitudinal line of the iliac crests. In transverse presentation, the risk of birth trauma is quite high.
Also, a rather unfavorable variant of the location of the fetus in the maternal abdomen is breech presentation. In this case, not the head of the fetus, but the pelvis is directed first towards the birth canal. In such a situation, during childbirth, dangerous complications and even injuries can occur. To prevent them, doctors resort to performing a surgical method of obstetrics - cesarean section.
For how the fetus develops at 28 weeks of gestation, see the next video.
