By now, Mom has missed her period and may suspect she is pregnant.
Meanwhile, the embryo's cells are forming and moving toward position. The
skeletal cells are moving outward while the cells for the internal organs remain
in the middle. The circular disk now changes shape to somewhat resemble a
pear, with the larger side soon to be the head. A groove forms up the
middle that becomes the digestive track, from the mouth to the anus. The
most primitive central nervous system is being formed as well, yet the embryo is
still only the size of the head of a pin.
Stem cells are forming now, as well
as muscle cells. The embryo now appears elongated, with recognizable
formations that will be the heart and the brain. At this stage, it is
important for Mom to be getting plenty of folic acid, iron, protein and calcium.
The newly forming nervous system requires folic acid to help prevent defects as
it grows.
