Embryo Week 3

Key events of human development during the third week (week 3) following fertilization or clinical gestational age week 5, based on last menstrual period.. Note that during this time the conceptus cells not contributing to the embryo are contributing to placental membranes and the early placenta.
During the third week of development conceptus implantion in the uterus wall is complete and trophoblast cells continue to invade uterine wall in the process of early placentation (villi formation). Within the conceptus, gastrulation converts the bilaminar embryo into the trilaminar embryo (ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm). Morphological changes include an epithelial to mesenchymal cell transition and folding of the embryonic disc. Carnegie stages 7 to 9 covers this period of human embryo development.
Outside of the embryo, the extraembryonic spaces (chorionic, amniotic, yolk) and intraembryonic spaces (coeloms) continue to develop. Trophoblast cells continue to invade uterine wall and the emdometrium is being converted into the decidua, the process of villi formation and early placentation has begun.