A woman who is pregnant is having an ultrasound done eight weeks into prenatal development. She is surprised by the size of the embryo's head when she sees the image on the screen. The doctor reassures her that this is typical and due to the _____ pattern of development.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The size of the embryo's head being larger than the rest of the body at eight weeks into prenatal development is due to the cephalocaudal pattern of development, which means that growth and development occur from the head down to the rest of the body. This is a typical and expected pattern of growth during prenatal development. Proximodistal development refers to growth from the center of the body outwards and is not relevant to the size of the embryo's head at eight weeks. Neurogenesis and synaptogenesis refer to the development of neurons and synapses, respectively, and are not as relevant to the size of the embryo's head at this stage of development.

A Woman Who Is Pregnant Is Having an Ultrasound Done