Question

the fetal period generally lasts for around ______ weeks.

a 30
b 38
c 24
d none of the above

Explanation:

Identify the stages of prenatal development

Human prenatal development is divided into three main stages: the germinal stage (weeks 1–2), the embryonic stage (weeks 3–8), and the fetal stage (week 9 until birth).

Calculate the duration of the fetal period

A full-term pregnancy typically lasts about 38 weeks from fertilization (or 40 weeks from the last menstrual period).
Subtracting the first 8 weeks of development (germinal and embryonic stages) from the total 38 weeks of gestation yields:

$$ 38\text{ weeks} - 8\text{ weeks} = 30\text{ weeks} $$

Match with the given options

The calculated duration of approximately 30 weeks corresponds directly to option (a).

Answer:

• a 30 (Correct answer)
• b 38
• c 24
• d None of the above