The Importance Of Prenatal Development

Research shows that our development in the womb can have a profound influence on our later lives. The nine months beginning with conception and ending with the birth of a healthy baby is known as prenatal development. Conception occurs when an egg is released from the ovaries and becomes fertilized by a sperm. Proper prenatal care provides a healthy start and is essential to the entire process of human development. The period of pregnancy is divided into three trimesters. Pregnancy is also counted in terms of trimesters, each about 3 months in length: Trimesters First trimester: First day of Last Menstrual Period through 14 weeks, Second trimester: 15 weeks through 28 weeks, Third trimester: 29 weeks through 40 weeks (Chapman & Durham, 2014). Development happens quickly during the prenatal period, which is the time between conception and birth. This period is generally divided into three stages: the germinal stage, the embryonic stage, and the fetal stage.

Stage 1: The Germinal Stage

The two-week period after conception is called the germinal stage, it is the period starting from conception to the implantation of the zygote in the wall of the uterus. This is the phase where the mother and father’s DNA is passed on to the child; during the process of conception a sperm cell combines with an egg cell to form the zygote. After conception, the zygote spends approximately a week floating down the fallopian tube to the uterus, to quickly begin to divide after thirty-six hours