Fetal Development
Included In This Lesson
Study Tools For Fetal Development
Outline
Overview
- Three stages
- Preembryonic
- Embryonic
- Fetal
Nursing Points
General
- A developing human being is referred to as an embryo from weeks 2-8, and is a fetus from 8 weeks – birth
- By end of embryonic phase, most organs are formed (not functional necessarily, but formed)
- Head takes up half the body
- Heart is pumping
Assessment
- Pre-embryonic
- First 2 weeks after fertilization
- Free floating ball of cells making its way to the uterus
- This stage ends with implantation
- Embryonic
- 2 weeks – 8 weeks after conception
- Heartbeat present, circulation begins
- Heartbeat seen on transvaginal U/S around 6 weeks
- All major brain structures in place
- Bone begins to replace cartilage
- Embryo is approximately 1.2 inches long
- Fetal
- 8 weeks to birth
- Circulatory system and all organs present
- Heartbeat able to be heard on external U/S at around 12 weeks
- Fetus able to hear at 18 weeks
- Able to open and close eyes at 28 weeks
- Lungs continue to develop and more alveoli form → completed around 35 weeks
- Fetus does practice breaths
- Placenta does gas exchange
Therapeutic Management
- Medications
- Full list of patient medications to ensure they are safe during pregnancy
- Prenatal vitamins
Nursing Concepts
- Reproduction
- Human Development
Patient Education
- Medications
- No alcohol
- Prenatal vitamin
ADPIE Related Lessons
Related Nursing Process (ADPIE) Lessons for Fetal Development
Transcript
In this lesson I will explain the development of the fetus in the various stages so you will be aware of what is occurring at each phase.
There are three phases when we are talking about fetal development. The first is preembryonic and this is the first 2 weeks after fertilization. There is a free floating ball of cells making its way to the uterus for implantation. When implantation occurs we have the embryonic stage. This is week 2 to 8. The last stage is fetal. The fetal stage is 8 weeks until birth.
Let’s now break these stages down to some more detail. So first is the preembryonic stage. This is the first 2 weeks after fertilization so 0-2 weeks of life. Fertilization occurs and there is a free floating ball of cells making its way to the uterus for implantation. This stage ends with implantation.
Next is the embryonic stage. This is week 2 to week 8. Conception has occurred and a heartbeat is present The heartbeat is heard and visualized on a transvaginal ultrasound around 6 weeks All the major brain structures in place. The embryo is approximately 1.2 inches long. So it’s about the size of an olive.
Our last stage is the fetal stage which is 8 weeks to birth. The circulatory system and all organs are present. The heartbeat is able to be heard on external ultrasound at around 12 weeks. The fetus is able to hear at 18 weeks and can open and close eyes at 28 weeks. The lungs continue to develop and more alveoli form. This is completed around 35 weeks. The fetus does do some practice breaths in utero but no gas exchange occurs in the lungs it happen by way of the placenta.
Therapeutic management at this point in the pregnancy is not a lot but we need to ensure that any medications that the patient takes are safe since she is conceiving. She needs to be taking prenatal vitamins to ensure proper nutrition for proper development. Education at this point will revolve around safe medications, no alcohol, and ensuring they take prenatal vitamins.
Reproduction and human development are the concepts for this patient because fetal development starts with reproduction and then fetal development is the process of human development.
Ok so to review everything and wrap it up there are three stages in fetal development. Preembryonic is first. It starts with fertilization of the ovum. Once fertilized it becomes a zygote. Cell division occurs and now it becomes a blastocyst. Remember a blastocyst is a ball of cells. This ball of cells travels to the uterus. Next is embryonic. This begins with implantation in the uterus and now early development will occur. This stage of development is from 2 weeks to 8 weeks. The last stage is the fetal stage. This occurs at 8 weeks to delivery. This is the final stage so all organ development and growth will occur.
Make sure you check out the resources attached to this lesson and review the time frame of each stage as well as what is occuring in each stage. Now, go out and be your best selves today. And, as always, happy nursing.
NCLEX
Concepts Covered:
- Circulatory System
- Emergency Care of the Cardiac Patient
- Cardiac Disorders
- Cardiovascular
- Shock
- Shock
- Disorders of the Posterior Pituitary Gland
- Endocrine
- Disorders of Pancreas
- Disorders of the Thyroid & Parathyroid Glands
- Hematology
- Gastrointestinal
- Upper GI Disorders
- Liver & Gallbladder Disorders
- Newborn Complications
- Lower GI Disorders
- Multisystem
- Neurological
- Nervous System
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Brain
- Renal
- Respiratory
- Urinary System
- Respiratory System
- Noninfectious Respiratory Disorder
- Test Taking Strategies
- Note Taking
- Basics of NCLEX
- Prefixes
- Suffixes
- Medication Administration
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Respiratory Disorders
- Pregnancy Risks
- Labor Complications
- Hematologic Disorders
- Fundamentals of Emergency Nursing
- Factors Influencing Community Health
- Delegation
- Perioperative Nursing Roles
- EENT Disorders
- Basics of Chemistry
- Adult
- Emergency Care of the Neurological Patient
- Acute & Chronic Renal Disorders
- Emergency Care of the Respiratory Patient
- Respiratory Emergencies
- Studying
- Substance Abuse Disorders
- Disorders of the Adrenal Gland
- Behavior
- Documentation and Communication
- Preoperative Nursing
- Endocrine System
- Legal and Ethical Issues
- Communication
- Understanding Society
- Immunological Disorders
- Infectious Disease Disorders
- Oncology Disorders
- Female Reproductive Disorders
- Fetal Development
- Terminology
- Anxiety Disorders
- Cognitive Disorders
- Musculoskeletal Trauma
- Intraoperative Nursing
- Tissues and Glands
- Vascular Disorders
- Renal Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Prenatal Concepts
- Microbiology
- Male Reproductive Disorders
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Infectious Respiratory Disorder
- Depressive Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Psychotic Disorders
- Trauma-Stress Disorders
- Peripheral Nervous System Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Neurologic and Cognitive Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Newborn Care
- Basics of Mathematics
- Statistics
- Labor and Delivery
- Proteins
- Emergency Care of the Trauma Patient
- Hematologic System
- Hematologic Disorders
- Developmental Considerations
- Skeletal System
- Digestive System
- Urinary Disorders
- Postpartum Care
- Basic
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Bipolar Disorders
- Metabolism
- Cardiovascular Disorders
- Concepts of Population Health
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- EENT Disorders
- Postpartum Complications
- Basics of Human Biology
- Postoperative Nursing
- Neurological Emergencies
- Prioritization
- Disorders of Thermoregulation
- Writing
- Community Health Overview
- Dosage Calculations
- Neurological Trauma
- Concepts of Mental Health
- Health & Stress
- Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
- Childhood Growth and Development
- Prenatal and Neonatal Growth and Development
- Concepts of Pharmacology
- Integumentary Important Points
- Emotions and Motivation
- Renal and Urinary Disorders
- Developmental Theories
- Reproductive System
- Adulthood Growth and Development
- Psychological Emergencies
- Growth & Development
- Basics of Sociology
- Somatoform Disorders
- Reading
- Intelligence and Language
- Oncologic Disorders
- Med Term Basic
- Med Term Whole
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Spinal Cord
- Muscular System
- Neonatal
- Learning Pharmacology
- Pediatric
- Psychological Disorders
- State of Consciousness
- Sensory System