Conception and the first trimester
How long does a typical pregnancy last?
40 weeks
What is the embryo called after Week 10?
A fetus.
Which weeks make up the second trimester?
Weeks 14–27.
At what week does the third trimester begin?
Week 28
What is often the first sign of pregnancy?
A missed menstrual period.
What is ovulation?
The release of an egg from an ovary
Name two organs that begin developing during the embryonic period.
The brain and the heart.
What is the name of the fine hair that develops on the baby?
Lanugo.
What position does the baby usually move into before birth?
A head-down position.
Name two symptoms commonly experienced during the first trimester.
Morning sickness and tiredness (fatigue).
What is the name of the cell formed when a sperm and egg join together?
Zygote
What is the role of the placenta?
To provide nutrients and oxygen to the developing baby.
At approximately what week can the baby hear and swallow?
Around Week 20.
Why do the bones of the baby's skull remain soft before birth?
To allow easier passage through the birth canal.
What is the linea nigra?
A dark line that appears on the abdomen from the belly button to the groin.
What is implantation?
When the blastocyst attaches to the lining of the uterus.
What is the role of the umbilical cord?
To connect the baby to the placenta and transport nutrients and oxygen.
What can an ultrasound check during the second trimester?
The baby's movement, heart rate and size.
What is colostrum?
A watery pre-milk that may leak from the breasts before birth.
Describe two changes a mother may notice during the second trimester.
Feeling the baby move and developing stretch marks.
Why is the embryonic period important for the baby's development?
It is when all major organs begin to develop, including the brain, spinal cord and heart.
Explain how the embryo changes between conception and the end of the first trimester.
It develops from a single cell into a fetus with formed facial features, fingers, toes, arms and legs, and is almost three inches long.
Describe three developmental changes that occur during the second trimester.
The baby can hear and swallow, becomes more active, and the lungs develop.
Explain how the baby prepares for life outside the uterus during the third trimester.
The organs, including the lungs, finish developing and become ready to function independently.
Compare the symptoms a mother may experience during the first trimester with those experienced during the third trimester.
During the first trimester, a mother may experience nausea, fatigue and tender breasts. During the third trimester, she may experience shortness of breath, heartburn, swelling, difficulty sleeping and Braxton Hicks contractions.