PHYT 6222

PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT/MATERNAL CHANGES

Lecture objectives:
The student will be given the opportunity to:
1. Review the physiological events of fertilization (video or website).
2. Know the number of weeks of gestation considered to be “full-term.”
3. Describe the events occurring in fetal development during each month of prenatal
development.
4. Describe the maternal changes occurring during each month of prenatal development.
5. Recognize terms unique to the developing fetus, including: lanugo, and vernix caseosa.
6. Recognize terms unique to maternal changes during pregnancy, including: lightening,
nesting instinct, quickening, chloasma, linea nigra, relaxin, and Braxton-Hicks
contractions.
7. State the physical features of a full-term newborn infant.

See “Miracle of Life” video (url is on course syllabus) or ‘In the womb’ DVD (get from Dr. Baker)
or view similar programs at website http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/miracle/program.html (text
only if click on the ‘Miracle site map’) ; browse websites for videos and month-by-month
descriptions (http://pregnancy.about.com/od/trimesterguide/p/prenataldev.htm).

Fetal Development/Maternal Changes month-by month

40 weeks=term; some sources say 38 weeks (from conception), others say 41; FYI:
calculate estimated due date by adding 7 days from LMP day #1, then subtract 3 months

Month Fetal size Fetal development Maternal changes

1 (embryo) 1/8 inch fertilized egg implants basal body

temperature
4 mm. on endometrium of remains elevated after
uterus; single chambered ovulation; nausea (50%
heart beating; cell have); fatigue; no
differentiation occurs; menstruation or
slight
susceptible to teratogens spotting; breasts feel
tight and tingly; can have
positive pregnancy test

2 1 inch facial features forming; morning sickness

worse
(28 mm.) arm and leg buds; highly now; mucus plug forms in
1 gram susceptible to teratogens; cervix; breasts
larger;
primitive functioning of uterus softens;
frequent
systems; placenta and urination
umbilical cord forming;
head makes up nearly half
of embryo’s length

3 (fetus) 3 1/2” eyelids formed, closed; morning sickness

lessens
(9 cm) genitals forming; finger/ by end of month;
bladder

1
1/2 oz. toe nails forming; fingers pressure lessens; fetal heart
(15 gms.) well developed; kicks legs, tones audible by Doppler
closes fingers, bends wrist,
turns head; frowns, opens/
closes mouth; organ
differentiation occurring

2
Month Fetal size Fetal development
4 6 1/2” functioning liver and
(16 cm.) thyroid gland; blood
4 oz. forming in marrow; hair
(100 gms.) forming on head; lanugo
(very fine body hair)
forming; skeletal
ossification occurs and
is visible on x-ray (tho
to be avoided); moves
about freely (m-s system
formed) ; placenta formed
completely
5 10” vernix caseosa (waxy
(25 cm.) covering for protection)
10 oz. forms on skin; period of
(300 gms.) rapid growth; finger/toe
nails are formed
completely; favorite
position to sleep in; periods
of sleep/awake like newborn;
blood supply to lungs increases
6 12” skin less transparent and
(30 cm.) and wrinkled; vernix
1 1/4 lbs. continues to accumulate;
(600 gms.) body well proportioned;
eyebrows/eyelashes
developing; baby can
hear sounds; baby
stretches, kicks and
sucks thumb
delivery
why?)
7 14” testes begin to descend
(35-37 cm.) in male fetus; eyelids
2 1/2 lbs. open; fingerprints set;
(1000 gms.) storage of subcutaneous
fat begins; rapid growth
continues; bones are
developed but are soft
and flexible; lungs have
matured and can now
support baby outside uterus
8 16” greater subcutaneous
(40-42 cm.) fat; period of rapid
4 lbs. growth; body covered
(1700- with vernix; storage of
1800 gm.) iron, nitrogen, and
other nutrients
Maternal changes
uterus contracts (but she
is unable to feel); blood
volume and cardiac output
increases; quickening (1st
fetal movements, i.e. gas
pains, butterfly; later
becomes kicks!)
fetal heart tones clearly
audible by stethoscope;
definite “quickening”
period of rapid weight gain;
stretch marks; drop in
hemoglobin; linea nigra
forms (dark line down
middle of abdomen into
pubic area); common;
disappears/lightens after
delivery; chloasma-”mask
of pregnancy”- faint
facial pigmentation
disappears after
(hormonal, but
blood volume highest;
weight gain continues;
breathing may be difficult
at times; heartburn;
uterine contractions
(Braxton-Hicks) are
stronger
pelvic joints begin to
relax (relaxin); stretch
marks deepen; heartburn
common
3
Month Fetal size Fetal development Maternal changes

9 18” skin thicker and less shortness of breath; ankle

(45-47 cm.) wrinkled; subcutaneous swelling; frequent
urination;
5 lbs. fat accumulates; varicose veins more
(2000- storage of maternal pronounced; baby settles
2500 gm.) immunities from her into final position in mom’s
past diseases pelvis, usually head down

term 18-22” lanugo shed; body weight loss of 2-3 lbs,

(38-42 (48-55 cm.) contours plump; 3-4 days
before labor,
weeks) 7.5 lbs. cartilage in nose and shoes less tight;
spurt of
(3400 gm.) ears well developed; energy 1-2 days before
male testes descended; labor=“nesting instinct;”
less active since less “lightening”=fetus
drops
room to move; finger into pelvis (happens
about
and toe nails developed; 2 weeks before labor in
eyes may have slate 1st pregnancies; right
blue color--will have before labor in subsequent
permanent color by age pregnancies); with it
comes
3 mos.; bones of head less SOB but more
well ossified--may have frequent urination
and hips
overlapping at sutures wobbly, hard for
mom to
to allow passage thru move around
birth canal (ant. fontanel
closed by 18 mos.; post.
fontanel closed within a
few months).
at birth: breathing rate
is 35-50 b/min. and is rapid,
shallow and abdominal; HR is
90-160 b/min.; temp is 90
degrees rectally at birth; can’t
perspire so breaks into a rash;
temp. control not well developed