prego

Question 1

What is gestation?

Answer 1

Period between fertilisation and birth (~280 days from last menstrual period)

Question 2

How big is the baby at birth on average?

Answer 2

3400g and 50cm long

Question 3

What develops after 1 month of embryonic growth?

Answer 3

Muscle segments, brain, heart, liver, tail, pharyngeal arches

Question 4

What happens during week 5 of development?

Answer 4

Arm and leg buds appear

Question 5

When does the embryo look recognisably human?

Answer 5

By week 8 (3cm, 1g, all organs present)

Question 6

When does the foetal period begin?

Answer 6

Week 9 onwards

Question 7

What characterises the foetal period?

Answer 7

Rapid growth, organ maturation, body proportion changes

Question 8

What happens at week 16?

Answer 8

Foetus 18cm, 100g, fingerprints form, movement starts, heartbeat 120–160 bpm

Question 9

What happens at week 20?

Answer 9

Foetus 25cm, 300g, movements felt by mother

Question 10

What happens at week 28?

Answer 10

Foetus 38cm, 1000g+, vigorous movement, enlarged brain, testes descend in males

Question 11

What happens at week 36–40?

Answer 11

Foetus 46–50cm, 2700–3400g, reduced activity, placenta ages

Question 12

What is the final foetal position before birth?

Answer 12

Head rests in pelvis curve, restricting movement

Question 13

How does the mother’s immune system help the baby late in pregnancy?

Answer 13

Antibodies diffuse across placenta for temporary immunity

Question 14

What are the most obvious maternal changes?

Answer 14

Abdomen bulges, breasts enlarge, more blood volume, more urination, emotional changes

Question 15

Summary of pregnancy and development?

Answer 15

Embryo develops into foetus, grows and matures. Mother’s body adapts to support pregnancy and passes immunity to baby before birth

Question 16

What happens during weeks 1–4 of pregnancy?

Answer 16

Fertilisation, implantation, embryo <4mm, brain/spinal cord form, heart & liver develop, tail evident, pharyngeal arches start

Question 17

How big is the embryo at 1 month?

Answer 17

Just under 4mm

Question 18

What happens during week 5?

Answer 18

Arm and leg buds appear

Question 19

What happens by week 8?

Answer 19

Embryo recognisably human: 3cm, ~1g, all organs present but not functional, eyes/jaw/nose/ears form, fingers and toes develop, external sex organs visible

Question 20

When does the foetal period begin?

Answer 20

Week 9

Question 21

What characterises the foetal period?

Answer 21

Organ systems start maturing, rapid growth

Question 22

What happens at week 16?

Answer 22

Foetus ~18cm, 100g, erect posture, fingerprints form, foetus moves, heartbeat 120–160 bpm

Question 23

What happens at week 20?

Answer 23

Foetus ~25cm, 300g, movements felt clearly by mother

Question 24

What happens at week 24?

Answer 24

Foetus ~27–35cm, 565–680g, pregnancy obvious in mother

Question 25

What happens at week 28?

Answer 25

Foetus ~38cm, >1000g, vigorous movement, enlarged brain, testes descend in males

Question 26

What happens at week 32?

Answer 26

Foetus 41–45cm, 1800–2200g

Question 27

What happens at week 36?

Answer 27

Foetus 46–48cm, ~2700g, circulatory system developed, digestive system not fully developed

Question 28

What happens at week 40?

Answer 28

Foetus ~50cm, ~3400g, less active, head-down position, placenta ages, antibodies cross for temporary immunity

Question 29

What is the total length of pregnancy?

Answer 29

About 280 days or 40 weeks

Question 30

Summary of pregnancy timeline?

Answer 30

Weeks 1–8: embryonic stage (organ formation). Weeks 9–40: foetal stage (growth & maturation). Key milestones: heartbeat, movement, fingerprints, brain growth, immunity transfer before birth