Prenatal Development Notes
Prenatal Development: From Zygote to Fetus & Beyond
Recap: Stages of Prenatal Development
Zygote: The initial stage after fertilization.
Embryo: The developmental stage following the zygote, characterized by rapid cell division and organ formation.
Fetus: The final stage of prenatal development, where organs mature and the fetus grows in size.
Age of Viability
Definition: The point at which a fetus has a chance of sustaining life outside the womb.
Historic Shift: When the instructor first started teaching, the age of viability was around to weeks.
Current Age: Due to advancements in technology and research, the earliest age of viability is now considered to be weeks.
Significance: This is the earliest point a baby can be born and have a chance of survival.
Fetal Development in the Final Months (Third Trimester)
Increasing Chances of Health: In the final three months of pregnancy, every additional day significantly increases the chances of delivering a perfectly healthy and happy fetus.
Goal: The primary objective is to keep the baby