Stages of Development of the Fetus - Women's Health Issues - MSD Manual Consumer Version (2023)

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Detecting and Dating a Pregnancy Stages of Development of the Fetus Physical Changes During Pregnancy Medical Care During Pregnancy Self-Care During Pregnancy

Stages of Development of the Fetus - Women's Health Issues - MSD Manual Consumer Version (1)

HEALTHY LIVING

By

Raul Artal-Mittelmark

, MD, Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Full review/revision May 2021 | Modified Sep 2022

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  • Fertilization
  • Development of the Blastocyst
  • Development of the Embryo
  • Development of the Fetus and Placenta

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A baby goes through several stages of development, beginning as a fertilized egg. The egg develops into a blastocyst, an embryo, then a fetus.

Fertilization

During each normal menstrual cycle Menstrual Cycle Menstruation is the shedding of the lining of the uterus (endometrium) accompanied by bleeding. It occurs in approximately monthly cycles throughout a woman's reproductive life, except during... read more , one egg (ovum) is usually released from one of the ovaries, about 14 days after the last menstrual period. Release of the egg is called ovulation. The egg is swept into the funnel-shaped end of one of the fallopian tubes.

At ovulation, the mucus in the cervix becomes more fluid and more elastic, allowing sperm to enter the uterus rapidly. Within 5 minutes, sperm may move from the vagina, through the cervix into the uterus, and to the funnel-shaped end of a fallopian tube—the usual site of fertilization. The cells lining the fallopian tube facilitate fertilization.

If fertilization does not occur, the egg moves down the fallopian tube to the uterus, where it degenerates, and passes through the uterus with the next menstrual period.

If a sperm penetrates the egg, fertilization results. Tiny hairlike cilia lining the fallopian tube propel the fertilized egg (zygote) through the tube toward the uterus. The cells of the zygote divide repeatedly as the zygote moves down the fallopian tube to the uterus. The zygote enters the uterus in 3 to 5 days.

In the uterus, the cells continue to divide, becoming a hollow ball of cells called a blastocyst. The blastocyst implants in the wall of the uterus about 6 days after fertilization.

If more than one egg is released and fertilized, the pregnancy involves more than one fetus, usually two (twins). Because the genetic material in each egg and in each sperm is slightly different, each fertilized egg is different. The resulting twins are thus fraternal twins. Identical twins result when one fertilized egg separates into two embryos after it has begun to divide. Because one egg was fertilized by one sperm, the genetic material in the two embryos is the same.

From Egg to Embryo

Once a month, an egg is released from an ovary into a fallopian tube. After sexual intercourse, sperm move from the vagina through the cervix and uterus to the fallopian tubes, where one sperm fertilizes the egg. The fertilized egg (zygote) divides repeatedly as it moves down the fallopian tube to the uterus. First, the zygote becomes a solid ball of cells. Then it becomes a hollow ball of cells called a blastocyst.

Inside the uterus, the blastocyst implants in the wall of the uterus, where it develops into an embryo attached to a placenta and surrounded by fluid-filled membranes.

Stages of Development of the Fetus - Women's Health Issues - MSD Manual Consumer Version (9)

Development of the Blastocyst

About 6 days after fertilization, the blastocyst attaches to the lining of the uterus, usually near the top. This process, called implantation, is completed by day 9 or 10.

The wall of the blastocyst is one cell thick except in one area, where it is three to four cells thick. The inner cells in the thickened area develop into the embryo, and the outer cells burrow into the wall of the uterus and develop into the placenta. The placenta produces several hormones that help maintain the pregnancy. For example, the placenta produces human chorionic gonadotropin, which prevents the ovaries from releasing eggs and stimulates the ovaries to produce estrogen and progesterone continuously. The placenta also carries oxygen and nutrients from mother to fetus and waste materials from fetus to mother.

Some of the cells from the placenta develop into an outer layer of membranes (chorion) around the developing blastocyst. Other cells develop into an inner layer of membranes (amnion), which form the amniotic sac. When the sac is formed (by about day 10 to 12), the blastocyst is considered an embryo. The amniotic sac fills with a clear liquid (amniotic fluid) and expands to envelop the developing embryo, which floats within it.

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Development of the Embryo

The next stage in development is the embryo, which develops within the amniotic sac, under the lining of the uterus on one side. This stage is characterized by the formation of most internal organs and external body structures. Most organs begin to form about 3 weeks after fertilization, which equals 5 weeks of pregnancy (because doctors date pregnancy from the first day of the woman's last menstrual period, which is typically 2 weeks before fertilization). At this time, the embryo elongates, first suggesting a human shape. Shortly thereafter, the area that will become the brain and spinal cord (neural tube) begins to develop. The heart and major blood vessels begin to develop earlier—by about day 16. The heart begins to pump fluid through blood vessels by day 20, and the first red blood cells appear the next day. Blood vessels continue to develop in the embryo and placenta.

Almost all organs are completely formed by about 10 weeks after fertilization (which equals 12 weeks of pregnancy). The exceptions are the brain and spinal cord, which continue to form and develop throughout pregnancy. Most malformations (birth defects) occur during the period when organs are forming. During this period, the embryo is most vulnerable to the effects of drugs, radiation, and viruses. Therefore, a pregnant woman should not be given any live-virus vaccinations or take any drugs during this period unless they are considered essential to protect her health (see Drug Use During Pregnancy Drug Use During Pregnancy More than 50% of pregnant women take prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter) drugs or use social drugs (such as tobacco and alcohol) or illicit drugs at some time during pregnancy... read more ).

Placenta and Embryo at About 8 Weeks

At 8 weeks of pregnancy, the placenta and fetus have been developing for 6 weeks. The placenta forms tiny hairlike projections (villi) that extend into the wall of the uterus. Blood vessels from the embryo, which pass through the umbilical cord to the placenta, develop in the villi.

A thin membrane separates the embryo's blood in the villi from the mother's blood that flows through the space surrounding the villi (intervillous space). This arrangement does the following:

  • Allows materials to be exchanged between the blood of the mother and that of the embryo

  • Prevents the mother's immune system from attacking the embryo because the mother's antibodies are too large to pass through the membrane (antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to help defend the body against foreign substances)

The embryo floats in fluid (amniotic fluid), which is contained in a sac (amniotic sac).

The amniotic fluid does the following:

  • Provides a space in which the embryo can grow freely

  • Helps protect the embryo from injury

The amniotic sac is strong and resilient.

Stages of Development of the Fetus - Women's Health Issues - MSD Manual Consumer Version (10)

Development of the Fetus and Placenta

At the end of the 8th week after fertilization (10 weeks of pregnancy), the embryo is considered a fetus. During this stage, the structures that have already formed grow and develop. The following are markers during pregnancy:

  • By 12 weeks of pregnancy: The fetus fills the entire uterus.

  • By about 14 weeks: The sex can be identified.

  • By about 16 to 20 weeks: Typically, the pregnant woman can feel the fetus moving. Women who have been pregnant before typically feel movements about 2 weeks earlier than women who are pregnant for the first time.

  • By about 24 weeks: The fetus has a chance of survival outside the uterus.

The lungs continue to mature until near the time of delivery. The brain accumulates new cells throughout pregnancy and the first year of life after birth.

As the placenta develops, it extends tiny hairlike projections (villi) into the wall of the uterus. The projections branch and rebranch in a complicated treelike arrangement. This arrangement greatly increases the area of contact between the wall of the uterus and the placenta, so that more nutrients and waste materials can be exchanged. The placenta is fully formed by 18 to 20 weeks but continues to grow throughout pregnancy. At delivery, it weighs about 1 pound.

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FAQs

What are the stages of fetal growth and development? ›

The process of prenatal development occurs in three main stages. The first two weeks after conception are known as the germinal stage, the third through the eighth week is known as the embryonic period, and the time from the ninth week until birth is known as the fetal period.

What are the 4 stages of embryonic development in order? ›

The correct sequence of embryogenesis is Fertilization- cleavage- gastrulation- differentiation.

What are the 3 stages of fetal development? ›

From beginning as a one-cell structure to your birth, your prenatal development occurred in an orderly and delicate sequence. There are three stages of prenatal development: germinal, embryonic, and fetal.

What is the correct order in the development of an embryo group of answer choices? ›

So, the correct option is 'Cleavage, blastulation, gastrulation'

What is the most important stage of fetal development? ›

The embryonic period is the most critical period of development because of the formation of internal and external structures. The critical periods of development for the organs are also discussed in the section on specific organ development.

How many stages of fetus are there? ›

The fetus will change a lot throughout a typical pregnancy. This time is divided into three stages, called trimesters. Each trimester is a set of about three months.

What are the 5 phases of development? ›

Five Stages of Child Development
  • Newborn. During the first month of life, newborns exhibit automatic responses to external stimuli. ...
  • Infant. Infants develop new abilities quickly in the first year of life. ...
  • Toddler. ...
  • Preschool. ...
  • School age.
26 Sept 2018

What is the 8 cell stage? ›

The 8-cell stage is a period in embryonic development when the conceptus has undergone 3 cleavages from a single cell, resulting in 8 cells. In some mammals, it is at this stage of development that the individual cells begin to adhere tightly, a process called compaction.

What is a stage 5 embryo? ›

Stage 5 comprises embryos that are implanted to a varying degree but are previllous, i.e., that do not yet show definite chorionic villi. Such embryos are believed to be 7-12 days old. The chorion varies from about 0.3 to 1 mm, and the embryonic disc measures approximately 0.1-0.2 mm in diameter.

What stage is the fetal stage? ›

Defining the Fetal Stage

A fetus is a prenatal human being between the embryonic stage and birth. The fetal stage extends from the beginning of the ninth week after fertilization to about 38 weeks after fertilization, which is the average time of birth. The fetal stage lasts a total of approximately 30 weeks.

Which answer lists the stages of the life cycle in the correct order? ›

Answer and Explanation: The correct list of those provided is: C) Zygote, cleavage, morula, blastocyst, embryo, fetus.

Which answer lists the correct order of the prenatal development stages? ›

Match
  • stage 1. the Germinal stage: zygote. time span: conception at two weeks. development that occurs: the key steps in establishing a pregnancy.
  • stage 2. the Embyronic stage: embyro. time span: third through eighth week. ...
  • stage 3. the Fetal stage: fetus. time span: eighth or ninth week through birth.

Which is the correct sequence of stages from fertilization to implantation? ›

During fertilization, the sperm and egg unite in one of the fallopian tubes to form a zygote. Then the zygote travels down the fallopian tube, where it becomes a morula. Once it reaches the uterus, the morula becomes a blastocyst. The blastocyst then burrows into the uterine lining — a process called implantation.

Why is fetal development important? ›

The embryonic period is very critical because every organ system is formed. One system that gets a lot of discussion in this critical time period is the neural tube (what eventually becomes the spinal cord, nervous system, and brain).

Which is a characteristic of the fetal stage of development? ›

The fetal stage has some characteristics as described below: The development of the bodily systems until the respiratory and digestive systems could already function independently from the mother. The growth of bones and muscles that make up the body of the fetus make it possible for the fetus to develop reflexes.

What are the most important weeks of fetal development and why? ›

The fetus is most vulnerable during the first 12 weeks. During this period of time, all of the major organs and body systems are forming and can be damaged if the fetus is exposed to drugs, infectious agents, radiation, certain medications, tobacco and toxic substances.

Is the fetal stage the last stage? ›

Month 3 (Weeks 9-12) – From Embryo to Fetus

After the eighth week of pregnancy, your growing baby is now called a fetus instead of an embryo. This begins the final stage of development, called the fetal stage.

Is the fetus the longest stage? ›

The second stage, or the embryonic stage, lasts from the third week through the eighth week, and it's when the embryo develops until it becomes a fetus. The last and the longest stage of prenatal development is called the fetal stage, and it lasts from the ninth week until birth.

What are the 6 types of development? ›

Our new Thrive philosophy is born from six stages of human development: social-emotional, intellectual, moral, psychological, physical, and spiritual.

What are the 6 system development life cycle phases? ›

There are usually six stages in this cycle: requirement analysis, design, development and testing, implementation, documentation, and evaluation.

What are the stages of development process? ›

What are the 7 stages in the product development process?
  • Idea generation.
  • Research.
  • Planning.
  • Prototyping.
  • Sourcing.
  • Costing.
  • Commercialization.
25 Nov 2022

What is the 4 celled stage? ›

4-Cell Embryo (Zgt)

The 4-cell embryo is the result of a second cleavage event, and occurs at approximately 40 hours after fertilization. The individual cells are called blastomeres. At this stage, the process of embryonic genome activation is initiated in human embryos, and lasts until the 8-cell stage.

What are the 7 main stages in the cell cycle? ›

The cell cycle is composed of interphase (G₁, S, and G₂ phases), followed by the mitotic phase (mitosis and cytokinesis), and G₀ phase.

What is the 16 or 32 cell stage called? ›

The term morula is used to designate the ensuing stages of embryonic development (16, 32,and 64 cells). The morula is thus the product of the first cell cleavages, which result in practically no growth, because the daughter cells become smaller and smaller.

What occurs during the 4/5th weeks of embryonic development? ›

Almost all major organs have started to form, including the lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, and pancreas. The unborn baby has arm and leg buds. The embryo starts receiving nutrients and oxygen and expelling waste using the umbilical cord and placenta.

What is a day 4 embryo called? ›

Once the cavitation has occurred, we can see the fluid in the cavity between the cells and we call the embryo an early blastocyst. Although morula stage embryos are usually seen on day 4 and blastocysts are usually seen on day 5, sometimes we have only morulas on day 5.

What does Grade 4 embryo mean? ›

Grade 4. Cells are of equal or unequal size; fragmentation is moderate to heavy. Grade 1 through 2.5 embryos seem to have the greatest potential for developing to the blastocyst stage.

What are the seven 7 stages of system development life cycle and give their definitions? ›

These included planning, creating, developing, testing, and deploying. Note that it left out the major stages of analysis and maintenance. What Are the 7 Phases of SDLC? The new seven phases of SDLC include planning, analysis, design, development, testing, implementation, and maintenance.

What is the correct order of stages in the life cycle of some animals? ›

Every animal's life goes through the same cycle: birth, growth, maturity, reproduction, and finally, death.

What are the 8 stages of a system life cycle? ›

Systems development life cycle phases include planning, system analysis, system design, development, implementation, integration and testing, and operations and maintenance.

What is the correct order of human development from the first stage to the last )? ›

Or maybe four: infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Developmentalists often break the lifespan into eight stages: Prenatal Development. Infancy and Toddlerhood.

What is the correct order for the stages of prenatal development quizlet? ›

The correct sequence of prenatal development is: germinal period, embryonic period, fetal period.

What is the correct order of development during the embryonic period quizlet? ›

The three phases of early embryonic development in animals are cleavage, gastrulation, and organogenesis. During cleavage, the zygote divides multiple times, producing a larger number of smaller cells.

Which is the correct order of development? ›

Final Answer: The correct sequence of embryonic development is: Zygote - Morula - Blastula - Gastrula - Embryo.

What are the five steps of fertilization? ›

IVF involves several steps — ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, sperm retrieval, fertilization and embryo transfer.

How many stages are there in fertilization? ›

There are three main stages in fertilization: sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, sperm-egg binding and fusion, and cortical reaction and oocyte activation. Briefly, sperm capacitation occurs in the female genital tract and prepares sperm cells for the acrosome reaction.

What are the 5 development stages? ›

Five Stages of Child Development
  • Newborn. During the first month of life, newborns exhibit automatic responses to external stimuli. ...
  • Infant. Infants develop new abilities quickly in the first year of life. ...
  • Toddler. ...
  • Preschool. ...
  • School age.
26 Sept 2018

What are the 6 stage of development? ›

Our new Thrive philosophy is born from six stages of human development: social-emotional, intellectual, moral, psychological, physical, and spiritual.

What are the 6 life stages of human development? ›

Infants (birth to 2 years) Early childhood (3–8 years) Adolescence (9–18 years) Early adulthood (19–45 years) Middle adulthood (46–65 years) Later adulthood (65+ years).

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