FSHD 200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Miscarriage, Preterm Birth, Organogenesis
Document Summary
Women have a chance of getting pregnant during her fertile time. Pregnancy lasts on average 38-42 weeksdue date measured from the rst day of the last menstrual period (i. e. gestational age of pregnancy) Conception(fertilization) happens around 2 weeks after this day. Full term is 37 weeks, babies born between 39 and 41 weeks are healthier. Babies born earlier than 37 weeks are considered pre-term. babies born at 24 weeks are at a point which is 50/50 % survival rate. Germinal stage: shortest stage of prenatal development, rst two weeks of prenatal development. Embryonic stage: start of life, starts 2-8 weeks following fertilization. *growth occurs from the top down (cephalocaudal) and from the center of the body outward(proximodistal) Critical periods > development of important vital organs and functions( up until about 13 weeks). Irregularities in development results in major defects or death.