Patient's question:
I'm only three months pregnant now. Because I had a miscarriage before, I'm very worried that the baby might have health problems. I want to have a thorough check-up to see if there are any abnormalities or intellectual disabilities. How many months can a fetus's abnormalities or intellectual disabilities be detected?Doctor's answer:
Fetal abnormalities primarily occur during the early stages of pregnancy because this is the period when fetal organs are forming and are more susceptible to abnormalities caused by external factors.Weeks 3-8: This is the period of division and growth and development of the fetus's main organs. It is highly sensitive to external factors. It is easily affected by external influences and abnormal organ development. The most severe abnormalities occur during this period.
After week 9, only the brain, external genitalia, teeth, and upper palate have not fully divided and are not sensitive to external teratogenic factors. If affected, the main consequences are mental retardation, external genitalia abnormalities, and functional disorders of organ systems.