ABSTRACT
Fetal growth ................................................................................................... 38
Fetal development ..................................................................................... 39
Amniotic fl uid ................................................................................................ 45
An understanding of normal development, growth and maturation is important for understanding the complications that
may arise in pregnancy and for the neonate. For example, an understanding of the development of the lungs will explain
why preterm infants are at risk of respiratory distress syndrome and term infants are not and why bowel protruding into the
umbilical cord at 10 weeks gestation is normal and not diagnosed as an omphalocele.
