STAGES OF FETAL DEVELOPMENT

THREE TIME PERIODS OF FETAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Pre-embryonic (first 2 weeks, beginning with fertilization)
2. Embryonic (weeks 3 through 8)
3. Fetal (from week 8 through birth)
FERTILIZATION: THE BEGINNING OF PREGNANCY

FERTILIZATION
- Also referred to as conception and impregnation
- The union of ovum and spermatozoon
- This usually occurs in the outer third of the fallopian tube called the AMPULLA.
- Primary oocyte (immature ovum) contains Diploid number of chromosome (46)
- One oocyte contains haploid (23) number of chromosomes after division
- Gamete (mature ovum) is a cell or ovum that has undergone maturation and will be ready for
fertilization
- One gamete carries 23 chromosomes
- A sperm carries 2 types of sex chromosomes- X and Y
- 400 million sperm cells in one ejaculation
- Functional life of spermatozoa is 48 hours
- XX = female; XY= male

PROCESS OF FERTILIZATION AND IMPLANTATION

After ovulation

Ovum will be expelled from the Graafian Follicles

Ovum will be surrounded by ZONA PELUCIDA (mucopolysaccharide fluid) and circle of cells (CORONA
RADIATA) which increases the bulk of the ovum expelled from the fallopian tube by the Fimbriae
(Infundibulum)

Sperms move by flagella and penetrate and dissolve the cell wall of the ovum by releasing PROTEOLYTIC
ENZYME (Hyaluronidase)

CHARLES Z. ARIOLA JR, RN, MSN, LPT. 1

 After penetration, fusion will result to ZYGOTE

ZYGOTE migrates for 4 days in the body of the uterus

Mitosis will take place

Cleavage formation begin

After 16 to 50 cell formation from mitosis, a mulberry and Bumpy appearance will follow morula after 3-4
days

The structure will be ball-like in appearance which will be called BLASTOCYST. Cells in the outer ring are
called TROPHOBLAST (Later it forms the placenta, responsible for the development of placenta and fetal
membrane. Cells in the inner ring are called ERYTHROBLAST cells which will be the EMBRYO.

CHARLES Z. ARIOLA JR, RN, MSN, LPT. 2

SPERM AND OVUM STRUCTURE

TERMS TO REMEMBER
Ovum: From ovulation to fertilization
Zygote: From fertilization to implantation
Embryo: From implantation to 5-8 weeks
Fetus: From 5-8 weeks until term
Conceptus: Developing embryo and placental structures
Age of Viability: The earliest age at which fetuses survive if they are born is generally accepted as
24 weeks or at the point a fetus weighs more than 500-600 g

EMBRYONIC AND FETAL STRUCTUFES

- The placenta and membrane, which will serve as the fetal lungs, kidneys, and digestive tract in
utero as well as help provide protection for the fetus, begin growth in early pregnancy in
coordination with embryo growth

THE DECIDUA OR UTERINE LINING

- After fertilization, the CORPUS LUTEUM in the ovary continues to function rather than
atrophying under the influence of HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN (HCG) secreted by
the trophoblast cells. This hormone also causes the uterine endometrium to continue to grow in
thickness and vascularity instead of sloughing off as in usual menstrual cycle.

CHARLES Z. ARIOLA JR, RN, MSN, LPT. 3

 - The endometrium is now termed DECIDUA (the Latin word for “falling off”) because it will be
discarded after birth of the child.

CHORIONIC VILLI
- As early as 11th or 12th day after fertilization, miniature villi resembling probing fingers and termed
CHORIONIC VILLI reach out from the trophoblast cells into the uterine endometrium to begin
formation of the placenta
- It has a central core consisting of connective tissue and fetal capillaries surrounded by double
layer cells which produce various placental hormones such as HCG, SOMATOMAMMOTROPIN
(Human Placental Lactogen), ESTROGEN and PROGESTERONE
- The middle layer called the CYTOTROPHOBLAST or LANGHAN’S LAYER appears to have
second function to protect the growing embryo and fetus from certain infectious organisms such
as SPIROCHETE OF SYPHILLIS early in pregnancy. It disappears between the 20th and 24th
week of pregnancy

THE PLACENTA
- Latin term for “pancake” which is descriptive of its size and appearance at term
- It grows from a new identifiable trophoblastic cells at the beginning of pregnancy to an organ
15 to 20 cm in diameter and 2 to 3 cm in depth, covering about half the surface area of the
internal uterus at term.

CHARLES Z. ARIOLA JR, RN, MSN, LPT. 4

FUNCTIONS OF THE PLACENTA
A. CIRCULATION
- As early as 12th day of pregnancy, maternal blood begins to collect in the intervillous spaces
of the uterine endometrium surrounding the chorionic villi
- By 3rd week, oxygen and other nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals,
vitamins and water osmose from the maternal blood through the cell layers of the chorionic villi
into the villi capillaries
- Placental transfer is dynamic, allowing all but a few substances to cross from the mother into the
fetus
- Because almost all drugs are able to cross into fetal circulation, it is important that a woman take
no nonessential drugs (including alcohol and nicotine) during pregnancy.
- Because the exchange process depends on osmosis, there is no direct exchange of blood cells
between the embryo and the mother during pregnancy. Occasionally, however, fetal cells do
cross into maternal bloodstream as well as fetal enzymes such as Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP)
produced by the fetal liver (this allows the testing of fetal cells for genetic analysis as well as the
level of AFP in the maternal blood).
- The rate of utero-placental blood flow in pregnancy increases from about 50 ml/min at 10 weeks
to 500 to 600 mi/min at term.
- No additional maternal arteries appear after the first 3 months of pregnancy, instead, to
accommodate the increase blood flow, the arteries increase in size.
- The woman’s heart rate, total cardiac output and blood volume all increase to supply blood to
the placenta
- Uterine perfusion and placental circulation are most efficient when the mother lies on her left
side or LEFT LATERAL POSITION as this position lifts the uterus away from the inferior vena
cava preventing blood from becoming trapped in the lower extremities
- Mother in supine position causes pressure on the vena cava causing VENA CAVA SYNDROME
manifested by SUPINE HYPOTENSION
- At term, the placental circulatory network has grown so extensively that a placenta weighs 400
to 600 g (1 lb),which is 1/6 the weight of the newborn

CHARLES Z. ARIOLA JR, RN, MSN, LPT. 5

CHARLES Z. ARIOLA JR, RN, MSN, LPT. 6