Prenatal Development and Birth Process

Prenatal Development

There are three key stages of prenatal development. The first two stages are known as germinal stages, which occur two, months after conception. The third stage is known as the embryonic stage which occurs at the eighth week. The last stage of the ninth week is known as the fetal period.

The Germinal Stage

This stage begins during the conception, during this stage the egg cell and sperm unite in the fallopian tube. The fertilized egg, known as zygote which then moves towards the uterus, and it take a week to complete it. The cell division begins 24 to 36 hours after conception. After conception, the single celled zygote move towards the uterus through the fallopian tube, during this stage the cell division takes place. The zygote divides into 2 cells, to 4 and so on. When it zygote, reaches the 8 cell division the cell begin to differentiate and determine their characteristics. These cells multiply and become into 2 characteristic masses the outer cell become the placenta and the inner cell forms the embryo. The cell then develop into blastocyst which forms of 3 layers: The ectoderm forms the skin and nervous system, the endoderm forms the digestive system and respiratory system. The preceding layer is known as mesoderm which forms the muscles and skeletal system. When the blastocyst reaches the uterus and attaches to the uterine wall, this process is known as implantation. The cells in the uterine wall then rupture into small blood vessels in the uterine line. These blood vessels act as a connective medium and provide nourishment for the 9 months development. In some cases, the implantation does not take place correctly as a result of which the infant loses his life before birth. When successful implantation takes place it results in the ...