Fetal Growth and DevelopmentRichard Harding, Alan D. Bocking The fetus occupies a critical phase during human development. It is at this stage when the body systems that will support us throughout our lives begin to face up to the challenge of life outside the womb. While the fetus can demonstrate a remarkably robust response to challenges in the uterus, it is also an exquisitely sensitive phase of development. It is now well recognized that disturbances to the materno-fetal environment can influence and even undermine our state of health well into adulthood. This exciting new publication provides a valuable insight into fetal growth and development across all the main body systems, and examines the influence of the materno-fetal environment on adult-onset diseases. This text contains additional chapters on the embryo, placenta, and parturition, to insure that this is a fully self-contained introduction. This book is written by world-renowned experts from leading centers of excellence and will be an invaluable introduction for students of medicine, reproductive biology, and human biology. |
Contents
Development of the embryo | 1 |
Development and function of the placenta | 17 |
Growth and metabolism | 44 |
Cardiovascular system | 70 |
Fluid balance | 94 |
Respiratory system | 114 |
Digestive system | 137 |
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Common terms and phrases
ACTH activity adrenal adult amino acids amniotic fluid amniotic fluid volume arterial axis axons birth blastocyst blood flow blood volume Ca2+ capillary carbon changes chorionic contractile cortisol cytotrophoblast decrease differentiation embryo endocrine enzyme epithelial cells epithelium expression fetal blood fetal body fetal circulation fetal growth fetal lung fetal plasma fetal sheep fetus fetuses function gene gestational age gland glucose gonadal gonadotrophin growth factors hormone human fetus hypothalamus hypoxia implantation increase inhibition integrin intracellular labour late gestation layer levels lung liquid maternal mechanisms membrane mesoderm metabolism mmHg molecules muscle fibres myometrial myometrium myosin neonatal nerve nervous system neural neurones normal nutrient occurs oestrogen oxide oxygen oxytocin pathway pituitary placenta postnatal pregnancy pressure preterm produced progesterone prostaglandin protein pulmonary receptors reduced regulation release response role secretion species steroid stimulate structure surface syncytiotrophoblast synthesis tion trophoblast trophoblast cells tube umbilical uptake uterine vascular villi weeks