Module 11.
Pre-natal Development
Introduction
It is important to understand the beginning stage of human development. The
more we know how all it began, the easier it becomes to grasp the truth about our well-
being. By learning more about pre-natal development, we can conquer our doubts on
how did we exist, how life becomes meaningful. We begin to see the dawn of truth
about our existence.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
explain the stages in pre-natal development;
demonstrate knowledge on factors that influence pre-natal development of
learners.
Prenatal Development
How did you come to be who you are? From beginning as a one-cell structure to
your birth, your prenatal development occurred in an orderly and delicate sequence.
There are three stages of prenatal development: germinal, embryonic, and fetal.
Let’s take a look at what happens to the developing baby in each of these stages.
The Stages of Pre-natal Development
1. Germinal Period ( First 2 weeks after conception)
This includes the ; a) creation of the zygote, b) continued cell division and c)
the attachment of the zygote to the uterine wall.
The following are the details of development during this period:
a) 24 to 30 hours after fertilization - the male (sperm) and female (egg)
chromosome unite
b) 36 hours - the fertilized ovum, zygote, divides into two (2); 2 cells
c) 48 hours (2days) - 2 cells become 4 cells
d) 72 hours (3 days) – 4 cells become a small compact ball of 16-32 cells
e) 96 hours (4 days) - hollow ball of 64-128 cells
f) 4-5 days - inner cell mass (blastocyst) still free in the uterus
g) 6-7 days – blastocyst attaches to the wall of uterus
h) 11-15 days – blastocyst invades into uterine wall and becomes implanted in it
( implantation)
In the germinal period, the differentiation of cells already begins as inner layer of
cells that develops during the germinal period, develops later into embryo. The
trophoblast , the outer layer of cells that develops also during the germinal period, later
provides nutrition and support for the embryo (Nelson, Textbook of Pediatrics, 17 th ed.,
2004).
2. Embryonic Period ( 2-8 week after conception)
In this stage, the name of the mass cells, zygote, become embryo.
The following developments take place:
a) cell differentiation intensifies
b) life-support system for the embryo develop and
c) organs appear
As the zygote gets attached to the wall of the uterus, two layers of cells are
formed. The embryo’s endoderm, the inner layer of cells, develops into the digestive
and respiratory system. The outer layer of cells is divided into two parts – the ectoderm
and the mesoderm.The ectoderm is the outer layer which becomes the nervous system
, sensory receptors ( eyes, ears, nose) and skin parts (nails, hair). The mesoderm is the
middle layer which becomes the circulatory ,skeletal, muscular, excretory and
reproductive system. This process of organ formation during the first two months of pre-
natal development is called organogenesis.
As the three layers of the embryo form, the support systems for the embryo
develop rapidly. This life-support system are the placenta, the umbilical
cord and the amnion. The placenta is a life-support system that consist of a
disk-shaped group of tissues in which small blood vessels from the mother
and the offspring intertwine but do not join .The umbilical cord contains two
arteries and one vein that connects the baby to the placenta. The amnion is a
bag or an envelop that contains a clear fluid in which the developing embryo
floats. All these embryo life-support systems develop from the fertilized egg
and not from the mother’s body.
3. Fetal period ( 2 months to 7 months after conception)
4. Germinal Stage (Weeks 1–2)
In the discussion of biopsychology earlier in the book, you learned about genetics
and DNA. A mother and father’s DNA is passed on to the child at the moment of
conception. Conception occurs when sperm fertilizes an egg and forms a zygote. A
zygote begins as a one-cell structure that is created when a sperm and egg merge. The
genetic makeup and sex of the baby are set at this point. During the first week after
conception, the zygote divides and multiplies, going from a one-cell structure to two
cells, then four cells, then eight cells, and so on. This process of cell division is called
mitosis. Mitosis is a fragile process, and fewer than one-half of all zygotes survive
beyond the first two weeks (Hall, 2004). After 5 days of mitosis there are 100 cells, and
after 9 months there are billions of cells. As the cells divide, they become more
specialized, forming different organs and body parts. In the germinal stage, the mass of
cells has yet to attach itself to the lining of the mother’s uterus. Once it does, the next
stage begins.
Embryonic Stage (Weeks 3–8)
After the zygote divides for about 7–10 days and has 150 cells, it travels down
the fallopian tubes and implants itself in the lining of the uterus. Upon implantation, this
multi-cellular organism is called an embryo. Now blood vessels grow, forming the
placenta. The placenta is a structure connected to the uterus that provides nourishment
and oxygen from the mother to the developing embryo via the umbilical cord. Basic
structures of the embryo start to develop into areas that will become the head, chest,
and abdomen. During the embryonic stage, the heart begins to beat and organs form
and begin to function. The neural tube forms along the back of the embryo, developing
into the spinal cord and brain.
Fetal Stage (Weeks 9–40)
When the organism is about nine weeks old, the embryo is called a fetus. At this
stage, the fetus is about the size of a kidney bean and begins to take on the
recognizable form of a human being as the “tail” begins to disappear.
From 9–12 weeks, the sex organs begin to differentiate. At about 16 weeks, the
fetus is approximately 4.5 inches long. Fingers and toes are fully developed, and
fingerprints are visible. By the time the fetus reaches the sixth month of development
(24 weeks), it weighs up to 1.4 pounds. Hearing has developed, so the fetus can
respond to sounds. The internal organs, such as the lungs, heart, stomach, and
intestines, have formed enough that a fetus born prematurely at this point has a chance
to survive outside of the mother’s womb. Throughout the fetal stage the brain continues
to grow and develop, nearly doubling in size from weeks 16 to 28. Around 36 weeks, the
fetus is almost ready for birth. It weighs about 6 pounds and is about 18.5 inches long,
and by week 37 all of the fetus’s organ systems are developed enough that it could
survive outside the mother’s uterus without many of the risks associated with premature
birth. The fetus continues to gain weight and grow in length until approximately 40
weeks. By then, the fetus has very little room to move around and birth becomes
imminent. The progression through the stages is shown in Figure 2.
Learning Activities
ACTIVITY 1. IN YOUR OWN WORDS, IDENTIFY THE THREE STAGES IN
PRE-NATAL DEVELOPMENT?
ACTIVITY 2. LIST FIVE EXAMPLES OF HAZARDS IN THE PRE-NATAL
DEVELOPMENT.
ACTIVITY 3. INTERVIEW A MOTHER. WHAT ARE THE STRUGGLES THAT
SHE HAS UNDERGONE DURING
HER PREGNANCY? LIST 5 EXAMPLES OF THESE STRUGGLES
AND HOW DID SHE
OVERCOME IT.
SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS
PRE-NATAL DEVELOPMENT: WHAT WE LEARN INSIDE THE WOMB.
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=UA-TK9QLG9A
HOW A CHILD'S BRAIN DEVELOPS THROUGH EARLY EXPERIENCES.
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=HMYDFYSKZSU
ASSESSMENT TASK
WRITE A 3-4 PARAGRAPH ESSAY WITH REGARD TO HUMAN
ABORTION. SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER WHETHER YOU AGREE OR
DISAGREE.
