Video

Fertilisation and
Pregnancy

April 28, 2016

LO: To explain the development of the zygote

through pregnancy

Key Words
Fertilisation,
foetus, zygote

Sexual
reproduction

Fertilisation
Fertilisation

In male animals the sex cells are

called sperm, made in sex organs
called testes (testis is singular)
I can stay alive in
the vagina for up to
3 days waiting for an
egg to be released.

In female animals the sex cells are

called eggs, made in sex organs called
ovaries.
An egg is released
from the ovaries about
every 28 days. This is
called ovulation.

Fertilization

Fertilization, the joining of the sperm and the egg in the fallopian tube (below) to form a
unique human being, occurs.

The zygote begins to divide forming a

ball of cells.

Stem cells have

the potential to
become any type
of cell

It may take several days to reach the

uterus and be implanted in the soft
lining. It is now an embryo.

 Fingerlike projections grow into the

uterus forming a plate like structure
called the placenta.

I am now called a
fetus.

The umbilical cord joins the fetus to

the placenta.

The placenta
In the placenta the blood of the fetus flows close
to the blood of the mother, but they do not mix.
Why?

The placenta
In the placenta the blood of the
fetus flows close to the blood of the
mother, but they do not mix.
The mothers blood under higher
pressure would burst the vessels in
the developing fetus.
They may have different blood types.

The placenta
In the placenta food and oxygen
diffuse from the mothers blood to
the fetus blood, and carbon dioxide
and waste products diffuse the other
way.

Amnion
The fetus is surrounded by a fluid-filled
sac (amnion) filled with amnionic fluid. This
protects the baby from mechanical damage.

Week 8
Baby's spinal column are beginning to form around week
5
Heart is beating
Arm and leg buds appear
Beginnings of fingers and toes appear
Lungs are formed
Eyes and ears are developing
Intestines are forming
All internal organs are in place by week 8
Genital organs are visible

Week 12
Inner ear, external ears, eyes,
mouth and nose are developing
Heart is pumping blood
to all parts of the body
All internal organs are functioning

Weeks
13-16

The brain is fully

developed and the
foetus can suck,
swallow, and make
irregular breathing
sounds.
Foetus can feel
pain.
Foetal skin is
almost
transparent.
Muscles tissue is
lengthening and
bones are

Week 16

Baby is now completely formed

From now on, growth will be rapid
Heartbeat can be heard with ultrasound
Baby's weight has more than doubled from week
15 to week 16
Baby is moving quite vigorously
Eyebrows and lashes grow

Weeks
20-24

A protective waxy
substance called vernix
covers the skin.
By birth, most of the
vernix will be gone but
any that is left is quickly
absorbed.
Foetus has a hand and
footprints and
fingerprints are
forming.
Foetus practices
breathing by inhaling
amniotic fluid into its

Week 20

Baby is covered in fine hair

Muscles are developing rapidly
Teeth are beginning to form
Hair is growing on baby's head
Baby is very active

Week 24
Baby can suck its thumb
Baby can hiccup and cough
Baby weighs just over 1 pound

Week 28

Vernix coats the baby's skin

Baby's lungs are mature
Fat is starting to accumulate
Baby weighs approximately
2 pounds

Week 32
Most babies are in the head
down position
The placenta is mature
Baby's head and body are
now in proportion to each other
Baby weighs
approximately 3.5 pounds

Week 36
Baby continues
to gain weigh
The irises of the eyes
are now blue
Baby weighs
approximately 5 pounds

Week 40
Most of the vernix on
the baby is gone
Most of the lanugo is gone
In a boy, the testicles
have dropped
Baby's eyes are open
and it can distinguish light

Complete baby development cut

and stick and summary sheet

Week 4

Poppy seed (1mm)

Heart starts to beat
Basic placenta and
umbilical cord are working

Week 24

Swede (30cm)
Foetus can tell if it is upside
down
Legally a foetus can be
aborted up to this point

Week 8

Grape (1.6cm)
Heart has four chambers
and blood is circulating
Toe buds develop

Week 28

Lettuce (37.6cm)
Foetus has eyebrows and
eye lashes
Brain development
increases

Week 12

Lemon (5.4cm)
Finger nails are developed
Most organs and structures
are fully formed

Week 32

Turnip (42.4cm)
Foetus starts to inhale
amniotic fluid to exercise its
lungs

Week 16

Avocado (11.6cm)
Skeleton and nerves
continue to develop
Can hiccup and suck thumb

Week 20

Coconut (25.6cm)
Skin gets thicker and
develops different layers

Week 36

Week 40

Papaya (47.4cm)
Rapid weight gain

Pumpkin (51.2cm)
Baby is ready to be born

7B Pregnancy - Dangers to fetus

Why does a pregnant woman have to be careful
about what she takes into her body?

A baby is entirely dependent on its mother

during pregnancy.

Oxygen and food pass across the

placenta from the mothers blood to
the embryos blood.
Some harmful substances can also pass across the placenta with
serious effects on the developing baby.

 After about 10 weeks the limbs are visible and the embryo becomes a
foetus.
The placenta develops. This is an organ containing blood vessels that
run very near to those of the mother.
The placenta is connected to the foetus by the umbilical cord.
Oxygen and food pass from the mothers blood to the blood of the
foetus.
Carbon dioxide and waste pass from the foetus to the mother.
Some harmful substances can cross the placenta.

ThePlacenta
ThePlacenta

The function of the placenta and umbilical cord are

involved in the exchange of dissolved nutrients, gases
and excretory products between the mother and foetus.
The placenta provides a barrier to toxins and
pathogens
Some toxins, e.g. nicotine, and pathogens, e.g. rubella
virus, can pass across the placenta and affect the fetus