FETAL PERIOD

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 FORMING A NEW LIFE
PRENATAL
DEVELOPMENT

Three periods:
Germinal Period
(Conception-2 wks)
Embryonic Period
(Weeks 3-8)
Fetal Period
(Weeks 9-38)
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HUMAN FETAL PERIOD
The period from the “beginning of the 9th
week to birth” is known as fetal period.

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 “And We (God) created man from a quintessence
(gentle extraction) of clay. We then placed him as
a nutfah (drop) in a place of settlement, firmly fixed
(i.e. the womb). Then We made the drop into
an ‘alaqah (clinging form), and then We changed the
clinging form into a mudghah (chewed-like form),
then We made out of that chewed-like
form, izam (skeleton, bones), then We clothed the
bones with lahm (muscles, flesh), then We (ansha’
nahu), caused him to grow and come into being and
attain the definitive (human) form. Blessed be God,
the Perfect creator”
Surah Al-Mu’minoon (The Believers) 23: 12-14
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CRL or CHL
Growth in length
Increase in weight

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GROWTH IN LENGTH & WEIGHT DURING FETAL PERIOD

Age (weeks) CRL (cm) Weight (g)

9 -12 5-8 10 - 45
13 – 16 9 - 14 60 - 200
17 – 20 15 - 19 250 - 450
21 - 24 20 - 23 500 - 820
25 - 28 24 - 27 900 - 1300
29 - 32 28 - 30 1400 - 2100
33 - 36 31 - 34 2200 - 2900
37 - 38 35 - 36 3000 - 3400
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 MONTHLY CHANGES
The growth of the head during fetal period is
slow compared to the rest of body

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 THIRD MONTH
FACE: More human looking broad face
HEAD:
Disproportionately large
Makes up nearly half of the fetus' size
EYES:
Directed ventrally
Eyelids fused
EARS:
Rise to their definitive position on the side of
head 9
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LIMBS: Reach their relative length
PRIMARY OSSIFICATION CENTERS:
present in the long bones and skull

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UMBLIBAL CORD

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PHYSIOLOGICAL HERNIATION

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ERYTHROPOIESIS : At 9th week liver is the
major site, after 12th week activity is reduced and
begins in spleen
EXTERNAL GENITALIA: Appear well
differentiated
MUSCULAR ACTIVITY: present

Urine formation begins between 9th & 12th weeks

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 4 and 5 MONTHS
th th

Length increases rapidly

Weight is less than 500 gm

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Fine downy hairs (LANUGO)
Head and eye brow hairs visible
Fetal movements

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6th Month

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 6.5 to 7 Month
th

Weight 1100g, CRL 25cm

Chances of survival 90%

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DEVELOPMENTAL HORIZONS DURING
FETAL LIFE
EVENTS AGE (weeks)

Taste buds appear 7

Swallowing 10

Respiratory movements 14 – 16

Sucking movements 24

Some sounds can be heard 24 – 26

Eyes sensitive to light 28

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 9 Month
th

SKIN:
Dull redness of the skin fades
Wrinkles smooth out
Lanugo begin to disappear

BODY AND LIMBS:

Become rounded
Body fat increases

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VERNIX CASEOSA

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At the end of 9th month, the skull
has the largest circumference of
all parts of the body.
At the time of birth, the weight of
a normal fetus is 3000 to 3400 g.
Testes are in the scrotum (end
of 9th month)

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 TIME OF BIRTH
The oocyte is usually fertilized within 12 hours of
ovulation.
The sperm deposited in the reproductive tract up
to 6 days prior to ovulation can survive to
fertilize oocyte.
The obstetrician calculates the date of birth
LNMP.
Premature
Postmature

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ULTRASONOGRAPHY MEASUREMENTS

BPD
Head circumference
Abdominal circumference
Femur length
Foot length
Fetal weight

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CROWN RUMP LENGTH

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BI-PARIETAL DIAMETER

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CIRCUMFERENE

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FEMUR LENGTH

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FOOT LENGTH

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 FACTORS INFLUENCING FETAL
GROWTH

Following factors stimulate fetal growth:

Glucose
Aminoacids
Insulin (secreted by fetal pancreas)
Insulin like growth factors
Human growth hormone

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Diagnostic
amniocentesis
Alpha-fetoprotein assay
Spectrophotometric
studies (may be used in
hemolytic diseases of
newborn)
Chorionic villus sampling
Sex chromatin patterns
Cell cultures
Intrauterine fetal
transfusions
 IUGR
Term applied to infants who are at or below the
10th percentile for their expected birth weight at a
given gestational age.
Small for dates or small for gestational age
Incidence is 1 in 10 babies

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