The germinal period lasts about two weeks, from conception through implantation. Which option correctly states this duration?

• A. Six weeks; organ formation begins
• B. Two weeks; conception through implantation
• C. Eight weeks; growth of limbs
• D. One month; fetal heartbeat forms

Answer: (B)

The germinal period is the very first stage of development, occurring in the first two weeks after conception. It starts with fertilization, when a sperm and egg form a zygote, and includes rapid cell divisions as the zygote travels down the fallopian tube. By about the end of the second week the developing structure, now called a blastocyst, implants into the uterine lining, establishing pregnancy. That makes two weeks the correct duration: conception to implantation.

Descriptions like six weeks, eight weeks, or about a month refer to later stages—organ formation begins during the embryonic period, and fetal development continues after implantation is secured.