Monday, May 20, 2013

Fetal development

Table of Contents

Definition

This article discusses how a human baby is conceived and how the baby develops inside the mother's womb.

See also: Gestational age


Alternative Names

Zygote; Blastocyst; Embryo; Fetus


Information

When sperm is deposited in the vagina, it travels through the cervix and into the Fallopian tubes.

ZYGOTE

A single sperm penetrates the mother's egg cell, and the resulting cell is called a zygote. The zygote contains all of the genetic information (DNA) necessary to become a child. Half of the genetic information comes from the mother’s egg and half from the father’s sperm. The zygote spends the next few days traveling down the Fallopian tube and divides to form a ball of cells.

BLASTOCYST

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Review Date: 11/01/2009
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)