Milestones of Fetal Growth AND Development

MILESTONES OF
FETAL GROWTH
AND
DEVELOPMENT
Ovulation age- measured from the time
of ovulation
Length of pregnancy- from 1st day of LMP
(gestational age)
Ovulation & fertilization takes place
about 2 weeks after LMP so ovulation
age of fetus is always 2 weeks less than
the length of pregnancy or gestational
age
• Ovulation age & gestational age measured
in lunar months (4-week periods) or
trimesters (3-month periods)
• Pregnancy- 10 lunar months (40 weeks or
280 days)
• Fetus grows in utero for 9.5 lunar months
or 3 full trimesters (38 weeks or 266 days)
END OF 4TH GESTATIONAL WEEK
 Length: 0.75 to 1 cm
 Weight: 400 mg
 Spinal cord formed & fused at midpoint
 Lateral wings forming body are folded forward to fuse at
midline
 Head folds forward, prominent, 1/3 of entire structure
 Back is bent so head almost touches tip of tail
 Rudimentary heart bulges on anterior surface
 Arm and leg buds
 Rudimentary eyes, ears, nose are discernible
4 WEEKS
 END OF 8TH GESTATIONAL WEEK
 Length: 1 inch
 Weight: 20g
 Organogenesis complete
 Heart, with septum & valves, beats
 Discernible facial features
 Arms and legs developed
 External genitalia present but cant be discerned by
simple observation
 Primitive tail regressing
 Abdomen is large because fetal intestines are growing
rapidly
 UTZ shows gestational sac (diagnostic of pregnancy)
8 WEEKS
• END OF 12TH GESTATIONAL WEEK
(1ST TRIMESTER)
• Length: 7 to 8 cm
• Weight: 45 g
• Nail beds on fingers & toes forming
• Spontaneous movements possible but too
faint to be felt
• Some reflexes present like the Babinski reflex
• Bone ossification centers forming
• Tooth buds present
• Sex distinguishable by outward
appearance
• Kidney secretion begins but urine not
yet evident in the amniotic fluid
• Heartbeat audible through DOPPLER
technology
 Length: 10 to 17 cm
 Weight: 55 to 120 g
 Fetal heart sounds audible with ordinary
stethoscope
 LANUGO is well formed
 Liver & pancreas functioning
 Actively swallows amniotic fluid demonstrating
intact though uncoordinated swallowing reflex
 Urine is present in amniotic fluid
 Sex can be determined by ultrasound
 Length: 25 cm
 Weight: 223 g
 Spontaneous movements felt by the mother
 Antibody production possible
 Hair forms, including eyebrows and hair on the head
 Meconium present in the upper intestine
 BROWN FAT, a special fat insulator deposits behind the
kidneys, sternum & posterior neck
 Vernix caseosa begins to form
 Definite sleep/wake patterns (developed biorhythms)
 END OF 24TH GESTATIONAL WEEK (2ND
TRIMESTER)
 Weight: 550 g
 Passive ab transfer begins by 20th week, established by 24th
week
 Meconium present as far as the rectum
 Active production of lung surfactants begins
 Eyebrows/eyelashes well-defined
 Eyelids now open
 Pupils capable of reacting to light
 24 weeks or 601 g- low-end age of viability if cared for in a
modern NICU
 Hearing can be demonstrated by response to sudden sound
24 WEEKS
• END OF 28TH WEEK OF
GESTATION
• Length: 35 to 38 cm
• Weight: 1,200 g
• Lung alveoli begin to mature, surfactant
present in amniotic fluid
• Testes begin to descend in scrotal sac
from the lower abdominal cavity
• Blood vessels of retina are thin &
susceptible to damage from high O2
28 WEEKS
 END OF 32ND WEEK OF GESTATION
 Weight: 1,600 g
 Subcutaneous fat begins to be deposited( the
former stringy, “little old man” appearance is lost)
 Fetus responds by movement to sounds outside
mother’s body
 Active Moro Reflex
 Birth position (breech or vertex) is assumed
 Fe stores beginning to be developed
 Fingernails grow to reach end of fingertips
32 WEEKS
• END OF 36TH GESTATIONAL WEEK
• Length: 42 TO 48 CM
• Weight: 1,800 to 2,700 g (5 to 6 lbs)
• Body stores of glycogen, Fe, CHO & Ca are deposited
• Additional amount of subcutaneous fat are deposited
• Sole of foot has only 1 or 2 crisscross creases (full
crisscross pattern at term)
• Lanugo begins to diminish
• Most babies turn into a vertex or head-down position
during this month
36 WEEKS
 END OF 40TH GESTATIONAL WEEK (3RD
TRIMESTER)
 Length: 48 TO 52 CM (CROWN TO RUMP, 35 to
37 cm)
 Weight: 3,000 g (7 to 7.5 lbs)
 Fetus kicks actively, causing discomfort
 Fetal hgb begins conversion to adult Hgb; at birth,
20% hgb is adult
 Vernix caseosa fully formed
 Fingernails extend over fingertips
 Creases on foot soles cover at least 2/3 of surface
40 WEEKS
• *In primiparas, fetus sinks into the birth
canal during the last 2 weeks, giving the
mother a feeling that the load she is carrying
is less (LIGHTENING),
• AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE 3RD

TRIMESTER HAS ENDED & BIRTH IS AT
HAND
FETOPLACENTAL CIRCULATION
• 12TH DAY maternal blood collects in
intervillous spaces of the endometrium
surrounding the chorionic villi
• 3RD WEEK fetal blood begins to exchange

nutrients with maternal blood thru osmosis
SHUNTS/BYPASSES
• Foramen ovale- between R atrium & L atrium
• Ductus venosus- bypasses the liver
• Ductus arteriosus- bypasses the lungs
• Umbilical Vein- carries oxygenated blood & nutrients
to fetus
• Umbilical arteries- carries Carbon dioxide and other
wastes from fetus to maternal circulation
• *Pressure is higher on the right side of the heart
before birth
END

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MILESTONES OF

• AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE 3RD

• 3RD WEEK fetal blood begins to exchange

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