The formation and development of a blastocyst and its attachment to the uterine wall are known as ______.

The correct answer is ​Implantation.

• The formation and development of a blastocyst and its attachment to the uterine wall are known as implantation.

Key Points

• Implantation is the attachment of the blastocyst to the uterine wall.
• It occurs after 7 days of fertilization.
• The portion of the blastocyst where the inner cell mass is located lies against the endometrium of the uterus.
• After implantation, finger-like projections appear on the trophoblast called chorionic villi which are surrounded by the uterine tissue and maternal blood.
• The chorionic villi & uterine tissue get interdigitated with each other to form the structural & functional unit between the developing fetus and the maternal body called the placenta.
• The placenta facilitates different physiological processes like nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gaseous exchange via the mother’s blood supply.

Additional Information

• Gestation is the embryonic development that is the time from conception to birth.
• Insemination is the transfer of male and female gametes leading to the formation of a zygote.
• Parturition is the delivery of the baby that is the process of birth.