Prenatal Development and Birth

Chapter 3

The Development of Children (5th ed.)

Cole, Cole & Lightfoot

Of all our existence, the 9 months we live inside the womb are the most eventful for our growth and development.

Of all our existence, the 9 months we live inside the womb are the most eventful for our growth and development.

Cole, Cole & Lightfoot, p. 72

The Study of Prenatal Development

The developing organism can be affected by mother-to-be’s health, habits, environment and lifestyle

Overview of the Journey

Prenatal Periods

Prenatal Development

Birth – The First Bio-Social-Behavioral Shift

Prenatal Periods

Prenatal Development

Birth – The First Bio-Social-Behavioral Shift

Prenatal PeriodsGerminal period:

Conception to attachment (8-10 days later)

(single-cell zygote multi-cell blastocyst)

Embryonic periodAttachment to end of 8th week all major organs have taken primitive shape,

gender is decided.

Critical period for problems in development of heart, lungs, brain and nervous system

Fetal period (fetus)9th week (ossification begins) until birth

all major organs continue to develop

Fetal Development Timeline 10th week: Intestines in place; breathing and jaw-

opening movements 12th week: Sexual characteristics; well-defined neck;

sucking and swallowing movements 16th week: Head erect and lower limbs well-developed 5th month: As many nerve cells as it will ever have 7th month: Eyes open and lungs capable of breathing 8th month: Many folds of the brain present 9th month: Brain more developed Fetus doubles its weight in the final weeks before

birth

Critical Periods of Fetal Development

A fetus is most vulnerable when it is first formingA fetus is most vulnerable when it is first forming

Prenatal Development of the Brain

Partner talk:What does optimal brain development require in the first three months of prenatal life?

Fetal Sensory Capacities

Sensing motion Sense of balance at 5 months

Vision Responds to light (i.e., heart

rate changes, increased movement) at 26 weeks

Sound Responds at 5-6 months Can discriminate outside sounds, but hears

mother’s voice best (i.e., changes in heart rate)

Maternal Conditions: Attitudes & Stress

Czech study: At birth, unwanted children weighed less and needed more medical help than children in the control group

Psychological stress during pregnancy is associated with premature delivery and low birth weight (Hedegaard, 1993)

Presence of a supportive mate and other family members, adequate housing, and steady employment give a woman a basic sense of security. This appears to enhance the prospects for a healthy baby (Thompson, 1990)

Premature Birth: Nutritional Intake

Yom Kippur: 24-hour food and water fast by orthodox Jews

Partner talk: How important is nutrition? Why?

Consequences of Premature Birth Immaturity of the lungs is the

leading cause of death for preemies. They can also have digestion and immunity problems

Premature babies who are normal size for their gestational age stand a good chance of catching up with full-term babies

Some children born prematurely have problems maintaining attention and with visual-motor coordination when they are school age

Maternal Conditions: Teratogens

Teratogens are everything in the environment that is ingested or

breathed in that poisons the fetus.

All teratogens lead to birth defects, retardation, and/or mental

disturbances to some degree.

Agent Orange - a toxic poison!Agent Orange, is an environmental pollutant used during the Vietnam War. It was an herbicide used to kill the jungle vegetation.

It caused many, many birth defects!

Triclosan (found in many antiperspirants) is Agent Orange!

Smoking

Increase in rate of spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, and neonatal death

Nicotine results in abnormal growth of the placenta

Similar effects from second-hand smoke!

Alcohol

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Abnormally small head, underdeveloped brain, eye abnormalities, congenital heart disease, joint anomalies, malformations of the face

Most serious damage from alcohol caused in first weeks of pregnancy

This woman’s story is in National Geographic magazine. It is the ONLY such article in NG! Search “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome”

Alcohol

Normal BrainFetal Alcohol

Syndrome Brain

Drugs Prescription medication: can pass to the fetus and damage its

development Caffeine: Increased spontaneous abortion and low birth weight Marijuana: Low birth weight, premature; infants startle easily, have tremors,

and sleep problems Cocaine: Increased stillborn or premature, low birth weight, strokes, birth

defects; infants irritable, uncoordinated, slow learners Methadone & Heroin: Born addicted; likely to be premature, underweight,

vulnerable to respiratory illness, tremors, irritable; infants have difficulty attending, poor motor control

Infections Rubella (German measles): Can

cause a syndrome of congenital heart disease, cataracts, deafness, and mental retardation in more than half of all babies born to mothers who suffer from the disease during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy

AIDS: Approximately 30% of the babies born to mothers who test positive for the AIDS virus acquire this disease

Also Rh incompatibility, radiation, pollution

Birth: The First Bio-Social-Behavioral Shift

THIRD STAGE: Delivery of the placenta

Assessing Viability - how much life force in is the child?

Physical condition: Apgar Scale: rates the strength of the heart, respiration, muscles, reflexes and color within 5 minutes of birth

Neurological condition: Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale: Includes tests of infant reflexes, motor capacities, muscle tone, capacity for responding to objects and people, capacity to control own behavior, attention

Physical condition: Apgar Scale: rates the strength of the heart, respiration, muscles, reflexes and color within 5 minutes of birth

Neurological condition: Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale: Includes tests of infant reflexes, motor capacities, muscle tone, capacity for responding to objects and people, capacity to control own behavior, attention

These tests are good for determining necessity of medical intervention and indicate the potential for normal development.

These tests are good for determining necessity of medical intervention and indicate the potential for normal development.

Parent-Child Relationships

Baby-ness: Prominent forehead; large eyes below horizontal midline of face; round, full cheeks

Baby-ness seems to appeal to adults, to girls of 12 and 14, and boys between the ages of 14 and 16

Baby-ness creates the emotional responses necessary to form positive and healthy attachments in early infancy.

Partner Talk:

Get a partner …

Pick a number: 1, 2, or 3 …

Here are your topics:

1. List as 5 examples of the environment playing a significant role in prenatal development.

2. List some of the expectant parents’ responsibilities toward the health of their developing child.

3. What will you be sure to do, or not do, from now on?

Partner Talk:

Get a partner …

Pick a number: 1, 2, or 3 …

Here are your topics:

1. List as 5 examples of the environment playing a significant role in prenatal development.

2. List some of the expectant parents’ responsibilities toward the health of their developing child.

3. What will you be sure to do, or not do, from now on?