Because of the wonders of modern technology, the mystery of life has been brought to life. The amazing images below depict the details of life beautifully from the first stages of conception to the development of the embryo into a fetus and eventually a person. These stunning moments was captured by the Swedish photographer, Lennart Nilsson (1922 – 2017).
- The initial stage of conception
This is a picture which captures a sperm swimming through the fallopian tubes to reach an egg in vivid detail. Sperm can live up to 72 hours. Fast swimming sperm can reach an egg in 30 minutes, while slower moving sperm can take up to a day. When a man ejaculates, he might release up to 40 million sperm cells.
- Spermatozoon swimming towards egg swiftly in the fallopian tube
The egg is 16 times bigger than a sperm cell, which fuse together in the process of fertilization.
- Initial Attraction
This is where a sperm first meets an egg.
- Entering the Egg Cell
This is the first stage of the almost 9-month process of a human being developing in the womb. One sperm eventually fuses with an egg to start the process of life out of the millions of sperm that are released.
- Up Close and Personal With a spermatozoon
The head of the sperm contains all of the genetic material and the tail is what propels it in its fertilization journey.
- First Picture of the Baby
The fertilized egg cell moves from the fallopian tube into the uterus after about a week.
- Implantation
This is a crucial stage of development. Here the egg implants into the uterine wall.
- Day 22 of an Embryo
The grey area eventually turns into a skull and brain.
- The Heart Beating on Day 18
The heart develops and starts beating on about day 18.
Day 28
This is how a fetus might look like this with a clear spinal cord on about day 28.
What a Face Looks Like During Development
There’s a face forming here. This is what an embryo looks like when it first forms in the womb.
Day 40
The placenta starts to form around day 40. The placenta has everything the baby needs for the next 9 months of development.
Baby Forming In The Womb
This cute embryo is starting to shape together to look more like a healthy baby.
The 10th Week
Then the eyes and fingers are forming. During the tenth week, the eyelids form, and the eyes will open.
Movement Starts
Quickening is the name given for this period and the baby start to move as well as the hands.
Week 16
From now on, the shape of a baby is fully formed and is now continuing to grow larger.
The Nervous System Developing
Here the blood vessels forming and the skin in the developing fetus is translucent.
Week 18
The baby can start to hear sounds from outside the womb around week 18.
19 weeks
You can see the baby has fingernails, and it is also developing eyebrows and hair.
20 Weeks
The baby is about 20 cm long, and the baby grows wooly hair known as lanugo on the entire head.
24 Weeks
The growing child is now shifting development to the brain.
26 Weeks
Here the baby looks fully formed and almost ready to meet the world.
sources: artfido.com , webmd.com , natural-fertility-info.com