Reproductive Development and Pregnancy Essentials

📋 Course Outline

1. Pregnancy stages
2. Fetal development weeks
3. Gametes and fertilisation
4. Placenta functions
5. Male hormone cycle
6. Menstrual cycle phases
7. STI types and symptoms

📖 1. Pregnancy stages

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

Trimester: A division of pregnancy into three equal parts, starting from the first day of the last menstrual period and lasting up to 40 weeks.

Second Trimester: The period from week 14 to week 27 of pregnancy, characterized by significant fetal development such as the formation of external sex organs and lung development.

Third Trimester: The stage from week 28 until birth, involving rapid fetal weight gain, bone hardening, and organ maturation.

Linea nigra: A dark vertical line that appears on the abdomen during pregnancy, indicating pigmentation changes.

Braxton Hicks contractions: Irregular, usually painless contractions of the uterus that occur in the third trimester, often described as false labor.

📝 Essential Points