Search - National Geographic: In the Womb - Animals on DVD

Three fascinating journeys

Anyechka | Rensselaer, NY United States | 05/16/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This documentary, part of National Geographic's great 'In the Womb' series, takes us into the wombs of three different animals. Using new 4-D ultrasound imaging, we're able to see a picture of life in the womb like never before. All of the embryonic/fetal animals are very different, yet they're all mammals, and all have a number of similarities in addition to their differences. Following a Golden Retriever, a dolphin, and an elephant, we find out about such subjects as the mating techniques (none of them are exactly the same, which would probably surprise most people), how long the gestational period lasts (the Golden Retriever has the shortest pregnancy by far, and is the only animal mother having a litter instead of just one baby), important milestones happening along the prenatal journey, when each fetal animal does things like opening the eyes, growing hair, showing characteristics of a male or female, and getting more lung power, what happens during the delivery, and what their lives are like shortly after birth. It really makes one marvel at what a miracle the journey from conception to birth is, and makes prenatal development seem interesting and fun instead of boring and for the scientific-minded only. One can only hope that perhaps one day there will be other installments in this series, bringing us the prenatal journey of some other mammals, such as rabbits, bears, cats, horses, and goats."

Teaching Children About Sex!

D. N. Callahan | Alabama | 03/30/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD is absolutely wonderful! My daughter is 7 years old. We have had some discussions about sex, but I decided I wanted her to have a better understanding of how things work. With this DVD being about animals, it's a little less intimidating for me and a little less uncomfortable for her. They do demonstrate mating, but it is a very small portion of the material presented. My daughter was amazed to watch the baby animals develop and loved hearing how small they were, etc. It also amazed her how so many of us (humans being animals too) start out exactly the same way. This is a very useful educational tool, but it's also great for anyone who simply has an interest in the pregnancy process, animal or otherwise."