Foetal development in the womb

LCA Social Education Module 4

The beginning
This is a fertilized egg only 30 hours after conception

Fertilization = the joining of the sperm and the egg in the fallopian tube to form a unique human being. For the first 8 weeks it is known as an Embryo. After 8 weeks it is known as a Foetus.

an Embryo

4 weeks

The Embryo is attached to the mothers uterus.

A foetus at 7 weeks in the womb

What changes do you notice?

A foetus at 7 weeks in the womb

What other changes do you notice?

A foetus at 7 weeks in the womb

What else do you notice?

How do you think the foetus receives its nutrition?

A foetus at 11 weeks in the womb

What changes do you notice?

A foetus at 12 weeks in the womb

What changes do you notice in the feet?

A foetus at 12 weeks in the womb

What changes do you notice in the hand?

Why do you think the Amniotic Sac is very important?

16 week foetus

A foetus at 3-4 months

What developments do you notice in the foot?

What other changes do you see at 4 months?

What changes do you see at 5 months?

9 months full term

Summary Foetal Development

What happens over the 40 weeks?

Week 4: The placenta develops
Week 6: Umbilical cord develops, first heart beat begins, buds for arms and legs form Week 8: elbows and feet begin to grow, teeth develop under gums

week 14
head-face, eyes, retina, eyelids and eyebrows, ears, bones in the middle ear, nostrils vocal cords, intestines, pancreases, arms, hands, fingernails, hair, legs, toenails, fat, placenta, brain, muscles.
A scan of a baby in the womb at 14 weeks

from 24 weeks
Week 24: eyes and
ears develop and move to their proper position throughout the trimester

Week 26: brain waves

for sight and sound

Week 27: eyes start

opening and retinas start growing

Weight and Inches

With a ruler look at these measurements

4 months: the babys length is 4.5 inches 5 months: the babys length is 10 inches. 6 months: the babys length is 12 inches and weighs more than a 1 pound

A new born baby

What was your birth weight?

Birth Defects
Has anyone heard about Birth Defects?
Have you heard of these ones? Down Syndrome Cerebral Palsy Cystic Fibrosis Cleft Palate etc

these defects are Genetic.

Some are non-genetic and can be avoided. Lets look at a couple of examples:

Spina Bifida
From looking at the picture what is Spina Bifida?

Why is it important for a pregnant woman to take Folic Acid, especially in the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy?

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

From looking at the pictures - What is FAS & What do you think causes it?

The Effect of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) on a babys brain

What differences do you notice?

How do you think Smoking & Drugs affect the development of a baby in the womb?

The End