Page 2 - LESSION 8.pmd

Stages of Child Development : –Prenatal; and –Birth to Three Years

8.1 DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN DURING PRENATAL STAGE

The average period of human pregnancy is 37 weeks to 41weeks. Babies born
Notes before 36 weeks of gestation are considered preterm and those born after 41
weeks are known as postterm babies.

Let us study about prenatal development.

8.1.1 Prenatal Development

After union with the sperm, the ovum enters the germinal period, a time of very
rapid cell division, which lasts for about two weeks. This is followed by the
embryonic period of about six weeks, during which structural development of
the embryo takes place. From the beginning of the third month until birth, the
time period is known as the foetal period. During this, the organs, muscles and
systems begin to develop and function. Many of the processes that the organism
will need in order to survive at birth are being developed at this time. The stages
of prenatal development are presented pictorially as follows.

Fig. 8.1 Stages of Prenatal Development

Stage 1: The Germinal Stage

The two-week period after conception is called the germinal stage. Conception
occurs when a sperm cell combines with an egg cell to form a zygote. About
thirty-six hours after conception, the zygote begins to divide quickly. The
resulting ball of cells moves along the mother’s fallopian tube to the uterus.
Around seven days after conception, the ball of cells starts to become embedded
in the wall of the uterus. This process is called implantation and takes about
a week to complete.

104 EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION