Care During Normal

Pregnancy &
Developing Fetus

Chapter 9
Prepared by Donna Belle Sumugat
RN MAN
 Chapter 9
Care During Normal Pregnancy &
Developing Fetus

What will we learn in this chapter?

• Stages of fetal development
• Fetal Structures
• Calculating Birth Date (Naegele’s Rule)
• Fetal Health (McDonald’s Rule, BPP, Nonstress
Test, Amniocentesis)
• Day 1 – Fertilization in the fallopia
tube
• Day 2 – Zygote travels to the uter

• Day 3 – Morula

• Day 4- Blastocysts
• Implantation to Weeks 5-8 – Embr

• Weeks 5-8 until term - Fetus

Where in the fallopian tube does fertilization
take place?
What are the 3 layers formed in the earliest stage
of embryonic development?
• https://nurseslabs.co
m/fetal-development
/
• Refer to the link
above for details
Age of Viability

• The age a premature baby can survive outside the

uterus.

• The threshold of fetus viability is usually after 23 weeks of

gestation; however, the survival rate for infants born this
prematurely is low with an increased chance of
developing medical problems.
What is the placental hormone that ensures the
survival of the embryo?
 Fetal Structures
https://nurseslabs.com/fetal-development/

• Deciduas

• Chorionic Villi

• Placenta

• Umbilical Cord

• Amniotic Fluid
Amniotic Fluid
 Assessing Fetal Health
• Fetal Growth (McDonald’s Rule)

• Fetal Heart Rate

• Biophysical Profile (BPP)

- Nonstress Test an

- Fetal UTZ

• Amnionocentesis
What is a nonstress test?

• The nonstress test is usually

done in the last trimester of
pregnancy.
• It measures the heart rate of
the fetus in response to
its movements.
• In most cases, the heart rate of
a healthy baby increases when
the baby moves.
• How many times should the
fetus move?
• When is it necessary?
 Fetal Ultrasound
• Diagnose pregnancy as early as
6 weeks

• Confirms fetus, gender, size,

location of placenta, and
amniotic fluid

• Although fetal gender is usually

determined by an ultrasound
screen at about 4 months, it can
be determined as early as 7
weeks by analysis of maternal

serum.
Amniocentesis
• Procedure that takes a
sample of the amniotic fluid

• determine fetal lungs maturity

to support respiration outside
of the womb

• genetic testing, because the

fluid contains fetal cells DNA.
• The NIPT test (noninvasive
prenatal testing) is a blood test
that's available to all pregnant
women beginning at 10 weeks of
pregnancy.

• It screens for Down syndrome and

some other chromosomal
conditions.

• It can tell the gender of the fetus.

Thank You for Listening