Hi
just wondering if anyone knows the gestation at which the fetal abdominal wall develops. Is it normal for a baby at 17 - 18 weeks gestation to not have an abdominal wall present?
Abdominal Wall abnormalities can be detected from around 10-11 weeks.
(Until week 10 the intestines patially protrude through the abdominal wall)
Obviously for that to be able to happen then the AW would need to be visable on an ultra sound at this time.
For there to be NO abdominal wall at 18 weeks would indicate a defect, I would think quite a severe one. IE If there is no abdominal wall, then there has been a massive defect in the gestational tract development. And therefore the midgut would still be outside the body, at 17 weeks it *should* have been inside (within the abdominal wall) for 6-7 weeks already. If this has not happened I would suggest that the pregnancy would no longer be viable.
I'm by no means educated in any of this, I would suggest you speak with your doctor for an educated opinion, but this is just what I found.
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