Human Fetus at 20 Weeks in the Womb, Lateral View (Brown Skin)

Description

The fetus is shown in profile at approximately 20 weeks of gestation, lying in the characteristic flexed attitude with the vertebral column curved, the hips and knees drawn up, and the forearms crossed in front of the chest. The head is large in proportion to the trunk, the cranial vault still smooth and hairless, with the external ear, closed eyelids, a defined nasal tip and lips clearly modelled. The fetal hands and feet display separated digits with early nail fields and plantar creases. Behind the occiput lies the discoid placenta with its branching chorionic vessels spread beneath the amnion, and the umbilical cord leaves the anterior abdominal wall in tight helical coils, the paired umbilical arteries and single umbilical vein visible through the translucent Wharton's jelly. The surrounding uterine wall forms the warm reddish envelope of the amniotic cavity. Twenty weeks marks the midpoint of pregnancy and the usual timing of the detailed second-trimester anomaly scan, when biometry, cardiac outflow tracts, spine, limbs and cord vessel number are systematically assessed. The three-vessel cord and its insertion site are routine checkpoints, as are placental position and the relation of the cord to the fetal neck. The flexed posture and generous amniotic fluid volume seen here reflect normal fetal tone and movement, both of which contribute to biophysical assessment later in gestation. This rendering suits obstetric and midwifery teaching on fetal growth and the anomaly scan, embryology and developmental biology lectures, prenatal atlases and antenatal class materials. It also serves patient-facing pregnancy apps, parenting publications and editorial figures that follow development week by week alongside the other images in this series. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.