Fact sheet

Prenatal
A physical developmental milestone for prenatal babies starts from the time they are conceived.
The period of Zygote: This period last for about two weeks from fertilization.
During the three- to four-day trip from your Fallopian tube to your uterus, the fertilized egg
(now called a zygote) will divide into 16 identical cells. Once it enters the uterus, the zygote is
called a morula. A day or two later, it will begin burrowing into the lush lining of your uterus,
continuing its amazing growth and transformation, (BabyCenter, 1997-2015).
The next stage of development is the Embryo Stage, This stage of development last
through eight weeks of pregnancy, (Berk, 2013, pg.91). In this stage the baby starts to form
body structures and internal organs. This stage of development is vulnerable to interference of
healthy development.
Cognitive developmental milestones start to develop at this stage.
The embryo brain starts to develop. The neurons began to produce at a fast rate. The baby starts
to move. Soon the baby becomes the fetus.

(About eight weeks from WebMD, (2005-2015)

Development at 20 Weeks (WebMD, 2014)

The baby weighs about 10 ounces and is a little more than 6 inches long. Your uterus should be
at the level of your belly button. The baby can suck a thumb, yawn, stretch, and make faces.
Soon -- if you haven't already -- you'll feel your baby move, which is called "quickening."(
WebMD,2014).

(Development at 16 Weeks, WebMD, 2014)

The baby now measures about 4.3 to 4.6 inches and weighs about 3.5 ounces. You should be
able to feel the top of your uterus about 3 inches below your belly button. The baby's eyes can
blink and the heart and blood vessels are fully formed. The baby's fingers and toes have
fingerprints, (WebMD, 2014).
With sonograms the doctors can monitor the growth of the fetus. Drug abuse during
pregnancy will have a significant effect on the developing fetus. Maternal use of cocaine, heroin,
and similar drugs during pregnancy has been associated with miscarriages, premature birth,
physical malformations, breathing difficulties, and higher risk of death at birth. Babies born
addicted to cocaine and heroin suffer through withdrawals at the onset of life.
Mothers need to eat a nutritional food that is good for her and the baby. She needs to
take her prenatal vitamins as soon as she knows she is pregnant. Teratogens are harmful agents
in the environment. Some are especially damaging during the earliest weeks, often before a
woman realizes that she is pregnant .Be careful of Pollutants such as mercury, solvents, and
pesticides that are environmental hazards and harmful for baby.

Berk, L. E. (2013).Child development. (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

BabyCenter, L.L.C. (1997-2015) , retrieved from http://www.babycenter.com/6_yourpregnancy-2-weeks_6000.bc

WebMD, (2005-2015) Pic of baby, Eight weeks of development retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/baby/ss/slideshow-fetal-development
WebMD, (2005-2015) Pic of baby16 week, and 20 weeks, retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/baby/ss/slideshow-fetal-development
WebMD, (2005-2015) retrieved from, http://www.webmd.com/baby/ss/slideshow-fetaldevelopment