Developmental Psychology

Topic: Fetal Development

I. Fetal Development

First trimester: 1st week The germinal period, lasts from conception
zygote through implantation, when the developing
The first trimester of zygote becomes firmly attached to the wall of
pregnancy is marked by an the uterus.
invisible — yet amazing —
transformation. And it The period of the zygote normally lasts about
happens quickly. Hormones 10 to 14 days (Leese, 1994).
trigger your body to begin 2nd week Blastocyst: name given to the ball of cells
nourishing the baby even zygote formed when the fertilized egg first begins to
before tests and a physical 3rd week divide.
exam can confirm the embryo
pregnancy. Embryo: name given to the prenatal organism
from the third through the eighth week after
conception.

Implantation: the burrowing of the blastocyst

into the lining of the uterus.

4th week Embryo

embryo
5th week The circulatory system is beginning to form,
embryo and the tiny "heart" will start to beat this week.
6th week Baby's nose, mouth and ears are starting to take
embryo shape, and their intestines and brain are
beginning to develop.
7th week Baby has doubled in size since last week, but
embryo still has a tail, which will soon disappear. Little
hands and feet that look more like paddles are
emerging from the developing arms and legs.
8th week Baby has doubled in size since last week, but
embryo still has a tail, which will soon disappear. Little
hands and feet that look more like paddles are
emerging from the developing arms and legs.
9th week Baby has doubled in size, but still has a tail,
which will soon disappear. Little hands and feet
that look more like paddles are emerging from
the developing arms and legs.
10th week Embryo has completed the most critical portion
 of development. Their skin is still translucent,
but their tiny limbs can bend and fine details
like nails are starting to form.
11th week Baby is almost fully formed. They're kicking,
stretching, and even hiccupping as their
diaphragm develops, although you can't feel
any activity yet.
12th week Baby's reflexes kick in: Their fingers will soon
begin to open and close, toes will curl, and their
mouth will make sucking movements, although
you won't feel their movements quite yet.
13th week Last week of first trimester. Baby's tiny fingers
now have fingerprints, and their veins and
organs are clearly visible through their skin. If
having a girl, her ovaries contain more than 2
million eggs.

Urine forms

Thirteen weeks into pregnancy, or 11 weeks

after conception, baby is beginning to make
urine and release it into the surrounding
amniotic fluid. Baby also swallows some
amniotic fluid.

Bones are beginning to harden in your baby's

skeleton, especially in the skull and long bones.
Your baby's skin is still thin and transparent,
but it will start to thicken soon.

2nd Trimester: 14th week Baby's brain impulses have

begun to fire and they're
Development continues at a using their facial muscles.
rapid pace during the Their kidneys are working
thirteenth through twenty- now, too. If you have an
fourth weeks of pregnancy, a ultrasound, you may even
period called the second see them sucking their
trimester. At 16 weeks, the thumb.
fetus is approximately 20 to 25
cm long and weighs about 170 Baby's sex becoming
g. From 15 or 16 weeks apparent
through about 24 or 25 weeks,
simple movements of the Fourteen weeks into
pregnancy, or 12 weeks
tongue, lips, pharynx, and after conception, baby's
larynx increase in complexity neck has become more
and coordination, so that the defined. Red blood cells are
fetus begins to suck, swallow, forming in baby's spleen.
munch, hiccup, cough, and
snort, thus, preparing itself for Baby's sex will become
extrauterine life (Miller, apparent this week or in the
Sonies, & Macedonia, 2003). coming weeks.
Infants born prematurely may
have difficulty breathing and By now baby might be
suckling because they exit the almost 3 1/2 inches (87
womb at an early stage in the millimeters) long from
development of these skills— crown to rump and weigh
simply put, they haven’t had about 1 1/2 ounces (45
enough time to practise (Miller grams).
et al., 2003). During this 15 week Baby's scalp pattern
th

period, the fetus also begins develops

kicking that may be strong
enough to be felt by the Fifteen weeks into
pregnant woman. The fetal pregnancy, or 13 weeks
heartbeat can easily be heard after conception, baby is
with a stethoscope, and as the growing rapidly. Bone
amount of bone and cartilage development continues and
increases as the skeleton will soon become visible on
hardens (Salle, Rauch, Travers, ultrasound images. Baby's
Bouvier, & Glorieux, 2002). scalp hair pattern also is
forming.
16th week Baby's eyes move

Sixteen weeks into

pregnancy, or 14 weeks
after conception, baby's
head is erect. His or her
eyes can slowly move. The
ears are close to reaching
their final position. Your
baby's skin is getting
thicker.

Baby's limb movements are

becoming coordinated and
can be detected during
ultrasound exams.
However, these movements
are still too slight to be felt
by you.
 By now baby might be
more than 4 1/2 inches (120
millimeters) long from
crown to rump and weigh
close to 4 ounces (110
grams).
17th week Baby's toenails develop

Seventeen weeks into

pregnancy, or 15 weeks
after conception, toenails
begin developing.

Baby is becoming more

active in the amniotic sac,
rolling and flipping. His or
her heart is pumping about
100 pints of blood each day.
18th week Baby begins to hear

Eighteen weeks into

pregnancy, or 16 weeks
after conception, baby's ears
begin to stand out on the
sides of his or her head.
Baby might begin to hear
sounds. The eyes are
beginning to face forward.
Baby's digestive system has
started working.

By now baby might be 5

1/2 inches (140 millimeters)
long from crown to rump
and weigh 7 ounces (200
grams).
19th week Baby develops protective
coating

Nineteen weeks into

pregnancy, or 17 weeks
after conception, growth
slows.

A greasy, cheeselike
coating called vernix
 caseosa begins to cover the
baby. The vernix caseosa
helps protect baby's
delicate skin from
abrasions, chapping and
hardening that can result
from exposure to amniotic
fluid.

For girls, the uterus and

vaginal canal are forming.
20th week The halfway point

Halfway into pregnancy, or

18 weeks after conception,
the mother might be able to
feel baby's movements
(quickening). Baby is
regularly sleeping and
waking. He or she might be
awakened by noises or your
movements.

By now baby might be

about 6 1/3 inches (160
millimeters) long from
crown to rump and weigh
more than 11 ounces (320
grams).
21st week Baby can suck his or her
thumb

Twenty-one weeks into

pregnancy, or 19 weeks
after conception, baby is
completely covered with a
fine, downy hair called
lanugo. The lanugo helps
hold the vernix caseosa on
the skin.

The sucking reflex also is

developing, enabling baby
to suck his or her thumb.
22nd week Baby's hair becomes visible

Twenty-two weeks into

 your pregnancy, or 20
weeks after conception,
Baby's eyebrows and hair
are visible. Brown fat also
is forming, the site of heat
production.

For boys, the testes have

begun to descend.

By now baby might be 7

1/2 inches (190 millimeters)
long from crown to rump
and weigh about 1 pound
(460 grams).
23rd week Fingerprints and footprints
form
Twenty-three weeks into
your pregnancy, or 21
weeks after conception,
your baby begins to have
rapid eye movements.
Ridges also form in the
palms of the hands and
soles of the feet that will
later create the foundation
for fingerprints and
footprints.

Your baby might begin

hiccuping, causing jerking
movements.
24th week Baby's skin is wrinkled

Twenty-four weeks into

pregnancy, or 22 weeks
after conception, baby's
skin is wrinkled, translucent
and pink to red because of
visible blood in the
capillaries.
25th week Baby responds to your
voice

Twenty-five weeks into

 pregnancy, or 23 weeks
after conception, baby
might be able to respond to
familiar sounds, such as
your voice, with movement.
Baby is spending most of
his or her sleep time in
rapid eye movement
(REM), when the eyes
move rapidly even though
the eyelids are closed

26th week Baby's lungs develop

baby's lungs are beginning

to produce surfactant, the
substance that allows the air
sacs in the lungs to inflate
— and keeps them from
collapsing and sticking
together when they deflate.
27th week This week marks the end of
the second trimester. At 27
weeks, or 25 weeks after
conception, baby's nervous
system is continuing to
mature.

3rd Trimester 28th week Baby's eyes partially open

Twenty-eight weeks into

pregnancy, or 26 weeks after
conception, baby's eyelids can
partially open and eyelashes have
formed. The central nervous system
can direct rhythmic breathing
movements and control body
temperature.

By now baby might be nearly 10

inches (250 millimeters) long from
crown to rump and weigh nearly 2
1/4 pounds (1,000 grams).
29th week Baby kicks and stretches

Twenty-nine weeks into pregnancy,

or 27 weeks after conception, your
baby can kick, stretch and make
grasping movements.
30th week Baby's hair grows

Thirty weeks into, or 28 weeks

after conception, baby's eyes can
open wide. Baby might have a
good head of hair by this week.
Red blood cells are forming in your
baby's bone marrow.

By your baby might be more than

10 1/2 inches (270 millimeters)
long from crown to rump and
weigh nearly 3 pounds (1,300
grams).
31st week Baby's rapid weight gain begins

Thirty-one weeks into pregnancy,

or 29 weeks after conception, baby
has finished most of his or her
major development. Now it's time
to gain weight — quickly.
32nd week Baby practices breathing

Thirty-two weeks into pregnancy,

or 30 weeks after conception,
baby's toenails are visible.

The layer of soft, downy hair that

has covered your baby's skin for the
past few months (lanugo) starts to
fall off this week.

By now baby might be 11 inches

(280 millimeters) long from crown
to rump and weigh 3 3/4 pounds
(1,700 grams).
33rd week Baby detects light
Thirty-three weeks into pregnancy,
or 31 weeks after conception, your
baby's pupils can change size in
 response to a stimulus caused by
light.
His or her bones are hardening.
However, the skull remains soft
and flexible.
34th week Baby's fingernails grow

Thirty-four weeks into pregnancy,

or 32 weeks after conception, your
baby's fingernails have reached his
or her fingertips.

By now baby might be nearly 12

inches (300 millimeters) long from
crown to rump and weigh more
than 4 1/2 pounds (2,100 grams).
35th week Baby's skin is smooth

Thirty-five weeks into pregnancy,

or 33 weeks after conception, your
baby's skin is becoming smooth.
His or her limbs have a chubby
appearance.
36th week Baby takes up most of the amniotic
sac

Thirty-six weeks into pregnancy, or

34 weeks after conception, the
crowded conditions inside your
uterus might make it harder for
baby to give a punch.
37th week Baby might turn head down

Thirty-seven weeks into pregnancy,

or 35 weeks after conception, baby
has a firm grasp.

To prepare for birth, baby's head

might start descending into pelvis.
If baby isn't head down, health
care provider will talk about ways
to deal with this issue.
38th week Baby will be considered full term

Baby's toenails grow

 Thirty-eight weeks into pregnancy,
or 36 weeks after conception, the
circumference of baby's head and
abdomen are about the same.

Baby's toenails have reached the

tips of his or her toes. Baby has
mostly shed all of his or her lanugo.

By now baby might weigh about 6

1/2 pounds (2,900 grams)
39th week Baby's chest is prominent

Thirty-nine weeks into pregnancy,

or 37 weeks after conception,
baby's chest is becoming more
prominent. For boys, the testes
continue to descend into the
scrotum. Fat is being added all over
your baby's body to keep him or
her warm after birth.

II. Developmental Abnormalities

1st Trimester Harmful exposures during the first trimester
have the greatest chance of causing major
birth defects.

The major structures of the body form in the

first trimester. These include the spine, head,
arms and legs. The baby’s organs also begin
to develop. Some examples of these organs
are the heart, stomach and lungs. While the
heart and stomach completely form during the
first trimester, the lungs continue to develop
past the first trimester.
2nd Trimester Harmful exposures during the second and
3rd Trimester third trimesters can cause growth problems
and minor birth defects.
Harmful exposures during the second and
third trimesters can also cause functional
defects like learning problems.
*Adapted from Moore 1993, and the National Organization of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
(NOFAS) 2009.
III. Causes
- Genetics
- Lifestyle choices and behaviors
- Exposure to certain medications and chemicals
- Infections during pregnancy
- combination of these factors
- Risk factors
family history of birth defects or other genetic disorders
drug use, alcohol consumption, or smoking during pregnancy
maternal age of 35 years or older
inadequate prenatal care
untreated viral or bacterial infections, including sexually transmitted infections
use of certain high-risk medications, such as isotretinoin and lithium
 III. Common birth defects
Structural: when a specific body part is - heart defects
missing or malformed - cleft lip or palate, when there’s an
opening or split in the lip or roof of
the mouth
- spina bifida, when the spinal cord
doesn’t develop properly
- clubfoot, when the foot points
inward instead of forward
Functional or developmental: cause a body - Down syndrome, which causes delay
part or system not to work properly. These in physical and mental development
often cause disabilities of intelligence or - Sickle cell disease, which occurs
development. Functional or developmental when the red blood cells become
birth defects include metabolic defects, misshapen
sensory problems, and nervous system - Cystic fibrosis, which damages the
problems. Metabolic defects cause lungs and digestive system
problems with the baby’s body chemistry.

References:
Bleyl SB and Schoenwolf GC, 2010. What is the timeline of important events during pregnancy
that may be disrupted by a teratogenic exposure? Teratology Primer, edited by Barbara Hales et
al. The Teratology Society.
Carlson BM, 2008. Human Embryology and Developmental Biology, 4th ed. St. Louis, MO:
Elsevier-Health Sciences Division.
Cochard LR, 2012. Netter’s Atlas of Human Embryology: Updated Edition. Teterboro, NJ: Icon
Learning Systems.
Moore KL et al, 2013. The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 9th ed.
Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc
https://www.healthline.com/health/birth-defects#How-can-birth-defects-be-prevented?