Foetus

A foetus or fetus (plural: foetuses, foeti or fetuses, feti) is the unborn offspring that develops from an animal embryo. Following embryonic development, the foetal stage of development takes place. In human prenatal development, foetal development begins from the ninth week after fertilisation (or eleventh week gestational age) and continues till birth. Prenatal development is a continuum, with no clear defining feature distinguishing an embryo from a foetus. However, a foetus is characterised by the presence of all the major body organs, though they will not yet be fully developed and functional and some not yet situated in their final anatomical location.

Quotes

• In three months the fœtus is nearly three inches long, and weighs about three ounces. Hippocrates says, that it is at this time the motion of the male fœtus begins to be felt by its mother; but that those of the female are not felt till after the fourth.
  • Buffon's Natural History, III (London, 1807), p. 277

• Yuri (voice-over): At four and a half months a human fetus has a reptile's tail – a remnant of our evolution. You can fight a lot of enemies and survive but if you fight your biology you always lose.
  • Andrew Niccol, Lord of War (2005)