Pre-natal

• In the first trimester what happens 16 days after fertilisation?

  • The human embryo develops a neural tube. This is what will become its brain and the spinal cord . Cells are created at around 6 weeks gestation until around 20 weeks gestation.
• In the first trimester what happens after 20 weeks gestation?

  • These then follow a process called 'migration' where they more to the correct location in the brain where they become neurons and begin to form the nervous system. This process of migration starts at around eight weeks gestation and is complete by around 29 weeks gestation.
• In the first trimester , What happens when the foetus is around 2 months?

  • When the foetus is around 2 moths of gestation, the neural tube divides into brain cells and nerve cells. The cerebral cortex is the formed . This part of the brain is responsible for how we think and act , as well as our memories and our intelligence ; It is divided into 4 diff. sections : the Frontal lobe , the Temporal lobe , the Parietal lobe and the Occipital lobe.
• What happens during the second trimester?

  • At 4 to 6 months , the pregnancy enters the 2nd trimester and the brain becomes fully developed , although it is not yet grown to its full size. At this point the majority of the 100 billion neurons have been formed. At around 20 weeks gestation, the neurons start to develop, including the axon and the dendrites.
• During the 2nd trimester what happens by the 5th month?

  • By the fifth month, simple synapses have formed allowing the neurons to communicate with each other
• What happens by the end of the 2nd trimester?

  • By the end of the 2nd trimester , the nervous system system has developed enough so that the foetus can react to loud noises outside the womb- for example the mother playing loud music.
• What happens by the 3rd trimester ?

  • By the 3rd trimester , and final trimester , the brain continues to grow.
  • The brain development can be affected by what the mother consumes during pregnancy. For example if she drinks a lot of alcohol, the baby may be born with a condition called Foetal alcohol syndrome. The alcohol disrupts the nerve connections in the brain and this can result in learning difficulties when they are born, such as problems with memory, speech and thinking.