Pregnancy

Question 1

What are the stages of prenatal development?

Answer 1

Stage 1: Zygote
- first two weeks
- placenta grows

Stage 2: Embryo
- 2-8 weeks
- heart starts to beat
- vulnerable to teratogens

Stage 3: Fetus
- 8-40 weeks
- feet/hands start forming
- facial features start forming

Question 2

What is the germinal period?

Answer 2

• Egg and sperm have combined
• Cell division starts 2-3 days after conception
• The blastocyst arrives to the uterus and attaches to the wall

Question 3

What is the blastocyst?

Answer 3

A cluster of dividing cells made up of:
- Etoderm - Skin/nervous system
- Endoderm - digestive/respiratory system
- Mesoderm - muscle/skeletal system

Question 4

What does APGAR stand for?

Answer 4

• Appearance
• Pulse
• Grimace
• Activity
• Respiration

Question 5

When is the foetal period and what occurs by then?

Answer 5

By the 3rd month all body parts have formed. Organs continue to develop, lungs are formed last.

Teratogen’s have a big factor on the brain

Question 6

What are possible minor complications?

Answer 6

• Nausea
• Heartburn
• Haemorrhoids
• Backache/leg cramps
• Insomnia
• Varicose veins

Question 7

What are possible major complications?

Answer 7

• Ectopic – Zygote attaches to the fallopian tube
• Pre-eclampsia – short rise in blood pressure
• Maternal morbidity – bleeding out, infections
• Miscarriage

Question 8

When is the Embryonic period and what occurs by then?

Answer 8

4 weeks after conception

• Neural tubes form
• The tube will develop the spinal cord and brain
• week 4 – eyes, nose, ears, mouth
• week 5 – arms/ legs