Fetal development in week 18 of pregnancy is at its peak. This is the time when you can expect a lot of development in your baby. Your baby now weighs around six ounces and is around five and a half inches long. Your baby will gain weight rapidly during this week of pregnancy.
The internal organs of your baby are all developed by now, and the baby will now focus on gaining weight and also increase in size. Your baby is getting larger and your uterus will continue to expand. This may make you feel a little uncomfortable.
Your baby’s inner ear is formed and the nerves connecting it to the brain are also formed and this important fetal development in Week 18 will mean that your baby will now have rather accurate hearing. The baby can hear your heartbeat while in your womb and can also hear you speak. So be careful of what you say!
This is the time when your baby will try to cover his/her ears in case there is a loud sound! Your baby is sensitive to light and the eyes develop even further during this week. Your baby’s brain is also developing at a fast pace.
Fetal development in week 18 also consists of developments in the sexual organs of the baby. If your baby is a boy, his prostate gland will develop and if your baby is a girl, her ovaries will have all the eggs that she will need for the rest of her life. Around this time, meconium or the first bowel movement starts accumulating in your baby’s bowel. The skin starts getting less transparent as brown colored fat starts covering your baby’s skin.
In case you have been asked to undergo amniocentesis, this will be the last week for the same. You can now heave a sigh of relief from this test. Your baby’s vocal chords are also developed by now and he/she can practice singing! An ultrasound will help you know your baby’s gender as the genitals are completely formed. If your baby is a girl, she will have her fallopian tubes and uterus formed as well.
Your baby will respond to different stimuli by moving his/her limbs or by simply moving around in your womb. Your baby’s heart is fully formed along with the ventricles and is functioning well by the time you complete 18 weeks of pregnancy.
Your baby can now move its limbs so freely that he or she can cross its leg. Overall, a rather eventful week as far as fetal development in week 18 is concerned!
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