- The word "fetus" has roots back to 1398 and comes from Latin roots for meaning "sucking" and "the bearing of young."
- Before the ninth week after fertilization, which is the eleventh week of gestation, the developing human is referred to as an embryo. From the beginning of the ninth week after fertilization until birth, the developing human is referred to as a fetus.
- There is a difference between the number of weeks of gestation and the number of weeks past fertilization. Doctors begin calculating gestation at the time of the woman's missed period, which is typically two weeks before fertilization. Thus, the number of weeks gestation is calculated as two weeks more than number of weeks past fertilization.
- At the beginning of the fetal stage, the fetus is typically 50 mm long and weighs about 8 grams. At the end of this stage upon birth, the baby is typically about 36 cm and 3,400 grams.
- During the embryonic stage, the baby's organs and systems develop. By the beginning of the fetal stage, the baby is almost fully formed. He will have fingers and toes, and some bones are starting to harden. He will start moving and hiccuping.
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