Name: Andal, Carlos MIguel L.

Date: September 30, 2021

Year&Section: BSN2-B Professor: Ma’am Evangeline Mecija

1. Describe the 3 phases of the human prenatal period.

A. Zygote- This is the structure formed when the egg cell and sperm cell
unite/merge. This zygote is made up of the genetic makeup and the sex of the
baby to be developed. After the conception of the zygote, the first week after the
zygote will continuously multiply. From one structure building a tissue and so on.
The cell division that took place wherein the two cells unite and multiply is called
mitosis. Mitosis is a fragile process, and fewer than one-half of all zygotes
survive beyond the first two weeks (Hall, 2004). After the countless mitosis the
cells would make tissue then the tissue would form organ and As the cells divide,
they become more specialized, forming different organs and body parts. In the
germinal stage, the mass of cells has yet to attach itself to the lining of the
mother’s uterus.

B. Embryo- after the zygote formation that took about 10 days which now has
150 cells. The zygote would go to the fallopian tubes where in they implant itself
on the lining of the thick uterus. When the zygote has been implanted it could be
now called an embryo. An embryo starts it development by growing blood
vessels, which would be later on formed as the placenta. Placenta helps in the
nourishment and supplies oxygen to the baby. Later on the umbilical cord is
formed. In the embryonic stage the head starts to develop followed by the chest
and abdomen features. In this phase the heart of the embryo also starts to work.
The tube found along the back of the developed embryo would be developed into
the spinal cord and the brain of the fetus.

C. Fetus- when the embryo reaches it’s ninth week it is now termed as fetus. The
fetus is now exiting its bean like formation and the tail-like feature starts to
disappear.The holistic physical development proceeds here.Fingers and toes are
fully developed, and fingerprints are visible. The hearing sense has also
developed. Response to sound takes place. Throughout the fetal stage the brain
continues to grow and develop, nearly doubling in size from weeks 16 to 28. On
the 36th week the fetus is ready for birth. The fetus is about 6pounds and is at 18.5
 inches long. The fetus continues to gain weight and grow in length until
approximately 40 weeks. And due for birth

2. Explain how the placenta function as:

A. An endocrine gland

The placenta also functions as an endocrine organ, during the mother’s

pregnancy it produces several important hormones. The hormones produced
serves as a worker to help the growth and development of the placenta and the
fetus. The stimulation of hormones helps the mother during pregnancy and
prepare for birth.

B. A metabolic, respiratory organ and the renal organ.

One of the placenta’s function is to provide oxygen and nutrients to the fetus,
simultaneously removing also the wastes and the carbon dioxide present. It increases
the metabolic processes that helps to produce products into the maternal and/ fetal
circulations. Fetus is still in trouble with the xenobiotic molecule, infections and
maternal diseases, and through the hormone production it helps to serve as the defense
mechanism. The hormones produced affects the maternal and fetal circulations, like
pregnancy, metabolism, fetal frowth, parturition and other functions. Many placental
function changes occur that accommodate the increasing metabolic demands of the
developing fetus throughout gestation.

C. An immunologic system

Placenta plays a vital role on transferring maternal IgG to the fetus and also
removes the potentially harmful cytotoxic antibodies. On some instances the
antibodies passively acquire the fetal autoimmune disease. The direct maternal
immune attack is not totally a clear pathological entity, though rare it also
happens at placental villitis and pemphigoid gestationis; can contribute to the
recurrent abortion of unknown aetiology or pre-eclampsia.

D. A protective barrier

The placenta as a barrier between the mother and fetus is said to be the
leakiest barrier which made it harder to block. The placenta having the several layers
of cells acting as the barrier for the diffusion of substances between the maternal and
fetal circulatory systems. The lipid-soluble molecules, for instance cam cross the
barrier readily, in which the transfer of large-molecular-weight molecules is limited

3. Fetal circulation: Identify the structures that are present in the fetal circulation that
you will not found in the adult circulation and discuss the importance of these
structures.
 Umbilical vein -carries oxygenated blood from the placenta into the growing
fetus. During fetal life, the umbilical vein arises within the placenta and passes
through the umbilical cord, along with the paired umbilical arteries.
(Britannica.com)\
 Umbilical artery is a paired vessel that arises from the internal iliac artery.
During the prenatal development of the fetus, it is a major part of the fetal
circulation. After birth, the distal part of the artery obliterates and becomes the
medial umbilical ligament.(Umbilical artery: Anatomy, branches, supply |
Kenhub)
 The ductus venosus is a shunt that allows oxygenated blood in the umbilical vein
to bypass the liver and is essential for normal fetal circulation. Blood becomes
oxygenated in the placenta and travels to the right atrium via umbilical veins
through the ductus venosus, then to the inferior vena cava.
(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31613539)
 Hypogastric arteries-Any of the arteries that are branches of the vertebral, deep
cervical, ascending cervical, inferior thyroid, posterior intercostal, lumbar, or
lateral sacral arteries and that enter the vertebral canal through the intervertebral
foramina to divide and then to join the posterior and anterior spinal arteries.
(https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/hypogastric+arteryP)

There are four main differences between the circulatory system of a fetus and an adult
human. Two of these, the umbilical cord and venous duct, are related to the exchange
of oxygen between the fetal and maternal blood supply via the placenta. In the
placenta, fetal capillary beds are in close proximity to maternal capillary beds

. Carbon dioxide and wastes from the fetus moved through the umbilical arteries are
exchanged for oxygen and nutrients supplied by the mother. Note that fetal and
maternal blood do not mix, and this exchange occurs across membranes by the
process of diffusion. The other two differences, the oval opening and arterial duct, are
temporary structural changes in the heart and blood vessels that allow the fetal
circulation to bypass the lungs because the fetus does not breathe while in the uterus.