UNSW Embryology

Human 10 Week Fetus: Section D

© Dr Mark Hill (2008)

Acknowledgements

Introduction

These are images from an early fetus (female, 10 week, 40 mm). This stage of development is after the embryonic period (up to week 8) but still only 2 weeks into early fetal development.

Section D is sagittal (close to the midline), plane C, B and A move towards the right.

Head D

About Fetal Period

The fetal period is a time of extensive growth in size and mass as well as differentiation of organ systems established in the embryonic period. In particular, the brain continues to grow and develop, the respiratory system differentiates, the urogenital system further differentiates between male/female, endocrine and gastrointestinal tract begins to function.

Note that in the early fetus the midgut remains herniated and will only be taken into the peritoneal cavity on further body wall growth.

Compare this 10 week fetus with the Carnegie stage 20 embryo: head/body proportions, brain, head, skeletal development.

10 Week 40mm Fetus

There are 4 sections taken in the sagittal plane (moving from the right at Plane A towards the midline at Plane D). Click on the small images (or the text below) to open the linked large image pages.

10 Week Plane A | 10 Week Plane B | 10 Week Plane C | 10 Week Plane D

Comments

Images of this early fetal stage shows how various systems have now developed from the embryonic period.

As the fetus is female, it also allows identification of specific urogenital structures.

On other linked pages there are extracts of the whole fetus showing details of specific systems/structures.

Please email Dr Mark Hill if you wish to make a comment about this current project.

UNSW Embryology ISBN: 978 0 7334 2609 4

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