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Embryo: Fertilization Last Menstrual Period or LMP Fetus

The human embryo develops through several stages in the first 8 weeks after fertilization: 1. The blastocyst implants in the uterus at 5-7 days and begins to form the brain, heart, and other organs. 2. By 4-5 weeks, the heart begins beating and limb buds appear. 3. Between 6-8 weeks, the eyes and facial features develop and the embryo becomes capable of movement, after which it is called a fetus.

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68 views4 pages

Embryo: Fertilization Last Menstrual Period or LMP Fetus

The human embryo develops through several stages in the first 8 weeks after fertilization: 1. The blastocyst implants in the uterus at 5-7 days and begins to form the brain, heart, and other organs. 2. By 4-5 weeks, the heart begins beating and limb buds appear. 3. Between 6-8 weeks, the eyes and facial features develop and the embryo becomes capable of movement, after which it is called a fetus.

Uploaded by

Maku Simon Peter
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Embryo

It is called an embryo until about eight weeks after fertilization (i.e. ten weeks Last Menstrual Period or LMP), and from then it is instead called a fetus.

The human embryo


Week 13 57 days after fertilization, the blastocyst attaches to the wall of the uterus (endometrium). When it comes into contact with the endometrium it performs implantation. Implantation connections between the mother and the embryo will begin to form, including the umbilical cord. The embryo's growth centers around an axis, which will become the spine and spinal cord. The brain, spinal cord, heart, and gastrointestinal tract begin to form.[2] Week 45 Chemicals produced by the embryo stop the woman's menstrual cycle. Neurogenesis is underway, showing brain activity at about the 6th week.[3] The heart will begin to beat around the same time. Limb buds appear where the arms and legs will grow later. Organogenesis begins. The head represents about one half of the embryo's axial length, and more than half of the embryo's mass. The brain develops into five areas. Tissue formation occurs that develops into the vertebra and some other bones. The heart starts to beat and blood starts to flow.[2] Week 68 Myogenesis and neurogenesis have progressed to where the embryo is capable of motion, and the eyes begin to form. Organogenesis and growth continue. Hair has started to form along with all essential organs. Facial features are beginning to develop. At the end of the 8th week, the embryonic stage is over, and the fetal stage begins. Gestational age relates to the age of an embryo or fetus (or newborn infant). There is some ambiguity in how it is defined:[1]

In embryology, gestational age is the time elapsed since conception. This interval is also termed fertilisation age. In human obstetrics in many countries, gestational age is defined as the time elapsed since 14 days prior to conception. This is approximately the duration since the woman's last menstrual period (LMP) began. There is also a further distinction between the calendar gestational age described here, and the developmental gestational age determined by comparing an embryo or fetus to the average age of others that were at the same stage of development.

Unless the exact date of conception is known, counting from LMP has been the common method of computing gestational age.[2] It involves the assumption that conception in

humans typically occurs a consistent period (14 days) from the onset of the LMP. Although this "LMP method" of calculating gestational age is convenient, other methods are in use or have been proposed.

Very early miscarriagesthose that occur before the sixth week LMP (since the woman's Last Menstrual Period)are medically termed early pregnancy loss[3] or chemical pregnancy.[4] Miscarriages that occur after the sixth week LMP are medically termed clinical spontaneous abortion.[ A fetus that dies while in the uterus after about the 2024th week of pregnancy is termed a "stillbirth"; the precise gestational age definition varies by country. Premature births or stillbirths are not generally considered miscarriages, though usage of the terms and causes of these events may overlap.

The time interval of a gestation plus two weeks is called gestation period, and the length of time plus two weeks that the offspring have spent developing in the uterus is called gestational age. (The extra two weeks is added because gestational age is counted starting from the last menstrual period (LMP), rather than from actual conception. The fertilized egg, known as a zygote, then moves toward the uterus, a journey that can take up to a week to complete. Cell division begins approximately 24 to 36 hours after the male and female cells unite. Cell division continues at a rapid rate and the cells then develop into what is known as a blastocyst. The blastocyst is made up of three layers: the ectoderm (which will become the skin and nervous system), the endoderm (which will become the digestive and respiratory systems), and the mesoderm (which will become the muscle and skeletal systems). Finally, the blastocyst arrives at the uterus and attaches to the uterine wall, a process known as implantation. The mass of cells, now known as an embryo, begins the embryonic stage which continues until cell differentiation is almost complete at eight weeks. Structures important to the support of the embryo develop, including the placenta and umbilical cord. During this time, cells begin to differentiate into the various body systems. The basic outlines of the organ, body, and nervous systems are established. By the end of the embryonic stage, the beginnings of features such as fingers, eyes, mouth, and ears become visible. Once cell differentiation is mostly complete, the embryo enters the final stage and becomes known as a fetus. The early body systems and structures that were established in the embryonic stage continue to develop. Sex organs begin to appear during the third month of gestation. The fetus continues to grow in both weight and length, although the majority of the physical growth occurs in the last weeks of pregnancy.

Duration
Healthcare professionals name three different dates as the start of pregnancy:

the first day of the woman's last normal menstrual period, the date of conception (about two weeks before her next expected menstrual period), and the date of implantation (about one week after conception).

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