Your fetus will begin the process of developing a brain around week 5, but it isn’t until week 6 or 7 when the neural tube closes and the brain separates into three parts, that the real fun begins.

Stages of development: During the fetal stage, the brain develops and the body adds size and weight, until the fetus reaches full-term development. Throughout the fetal stage the brain continues to grow and develop, nearly doubling in size from weeks 16 to 28.

First, the cells of the embryo (called embryonic stem cells) multiply and develop. They become the hundreds of different types of cells needed to make a whole human body. Your baby’s major organs and body parts begin to take shape. The placenta forms during the embryonic stage.

Eat healthy Omega 3 fatty acids are absolutely essential for baby’s brain development. Make certain you include foods that have a good content of omega 3, such as, fish, soybeans and spinach, in your diet. Also, iron found in leafy vegetables, like spinach, helps the flow of oxygen to the baby’s brain cells.

Microcephaly is a condition where a baby’s head is much smaller than expected. During pregnancy, a baby’s head grows because the baby’s brain grows. Microcephaly can occur because a baby’s brain has not developed properly during pregnancy or has stopped growing after birth, which results in a smaller head size.

Holoanencephaly. The most common type of anencephaly, where the brain has entirely failed to form, except for the brain stem. Infants rarely survive more than one day after birth with holoanencephaly.

A baby born with anencephaly is usually blind, deaf, unconscious, and unable to feel pain. Although some individuals with anencephaly may be born with a rudimentary brain stem, the lack of a functioning cerebrum permanently rules out the possibility of ever gaining consciousness.

Anencephaly is one of the most lethal congenital defects. This case report is of an anencephalic infant who lived to 28 months of life and defies current literature. She is the longest surviving anencephalic infant who did not require life-sustaining interventions.

Most babies with anencephaly are stillborn or die within days or hours of birth. The exact cause of anencephaly is unknown, but it is likely the result of an interaction among several genetic and environmental factors.

Jaxon Buell, the boy who was nicknamed “Jaxon Strong” for his determination to live after he was born with an extreme brain malformation, has died. He was 5. The child passed away “very peacefully and comfortably” on April 1 in North Carolina, his parents said.

Abstract. The condition is extremely rare, since acardia is only found in 1% of monozygotic twin pregnancies. A case was discovered and observed using ultrasound and was then studied anatomically and pathologically. The histopathology and the physiopathology of the malformation is described.

Three-stage surgery for congenital heart defect. Nationally, says Luca Vricella, the survival rate for children who have undergone all three stages of surgery is about 80 percent, depending on the congenital anomaly.

Congenital heart disease can have a number of symptoms, particularly in babies and children, including:

1. rapid heartbeat.
2. rapid breathing.
3. swelling of the legs, tummy or around the eyes.
4. extreme tiredness and fatigue.
5. a blue tinge to the skin (cyanosis)
6. tiredness and rapid breathing when a baby is feeding.

Avoid drinking alcohol or taking medication. Take 400 micrograms of folic acid supplement a day during the first trimester (first 12 weeks) of your pregnancy – this lowers your risk of giving birth to a child with congenital heart disease, as well as several other types of birth defect.

By the 10th week, the fetal heart will have developed fully. It may be possible to hear the heartbeat of an embryo from the fifth week of pregnancy.

The most common congenital heart defect is a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). The aortic valve opens and shuts to allow blood flow from the heart to the aorta.

What can I do to lower my risk of heart disease?

1. Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease.
2. Keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control.
3. Stay at a healthy weight.
4. Eat a healthy diet.
5. Get regular exercise.
6. Limit alcohol.
7. Don’t smoke.
8. Manage stress.

Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are jam-packed with important nutrients that play a central role in heart health. Berries are also rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins, which protect against the oxidative stress and inflammation that contribute to the development of heart disease ( 12 ).