2: Prenatal Development, Pregnancy, and Birth

Question 1

death during the first year of life

Answer 1

infant mortality

Question 2

a hormone often measured in saliva by researchers as a biological marker of stress

Answer 2

cortisol

Question 3

second stage of prenatal development, during which all major organs are constructed - lasts 6 weeks

Answer 3

embryonic stage

Question 4

an illness that a child gets by inheriting two copies of the abnormal gene that causes it (both parents)

Answer 4

recessive disorder

Question 5

an image of a fetus in the womb that helps to date the pregnancy, assess the fetus’ growth, and identify abnormalities

Answer 5

ultrasound

Question 6

new research discipline exploring the impact of traumatic pregnancy events and stress on producing low birth weight, obesity, and long-term physical problems

Answer 6

fetal programming research

Question 7

the period of pregnancy (266-277 days)

Answer 7

gestation

Question 8

the moment, around day 14 of a woman’s menstrual cycle, when an ovum is expelled from the ovary

Answer 8

ovulation

Question 9

second-trimester procedure, involves inserting a syringe in woman’s uterus to extract sample of amniotic fluid, which is tested for genetic/chromosomal conditions

Answer 9

amniocentesis

Question 10

a common situation in affluent countries, in which parents are torn between the demands of family and a career

Answer 10

family-work conflict

Question 11

a substance that crosses the placenta and harms the fetus

Answer 11

teratogen

Question 12

the earliest point at which a baby can survive outside the womb (22-23 weeks)

Answer 12

age of viability

Question 13

the material that makes up genes, which bear our hereditary characteristics

Answer 13

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

Question 14

the naturally occurring loss of a pregnancy and death of the fetus

Answer 14

miscarriage

Question 15

the process in which a blastocyst becomes embedded in the uterine wall

Answer 15

implantation

Question 16

the time when a body structure is most vulnerable to damage by a teratogen, typically when the organ or process is rapidly developing, coming “online”

Answer 16

sensitive period

Question 17

a blood test to determine whether a person carries the gene for a given genetic disorder

Answer 17

genetic testing

Question 18

a bag-shaped, fluid-filled membrane that contains and insulates the fetus

Answer 18

amniotic sac

Question 19

any fertility treatment in which the egg is fertilized outside the womb

Answer 19

assisted reproductive technology (ART)

Question 20

the narrow lower portion (neck) of the uterus

Answer 20

cervix

Question 21

a professional who counsels parents-to-be about their children’s risk of developing genetic disorders, available treatments

Answer 21

genetic counselor

Question 22

three month-long segments into which pregnancy is divided

Answer 22

trimesters

Question 23

first 14 days of prenatal development, from fertilization to implantation

Answer 23

germinal stage

Question 24

thread-like strands of DNA located in the nucleus of every cell (every cell has 46, except sperm and ova, which have 23)

Answer 24

chromosomes

Question 25

almond-shaped organs that contain the woman’s eggs (ova)

Answer 25

ovaries

Question 26

delivering a baby surgically by extracting the fetus through incisions in the abdominal wall and uterus

Answer 26

cesarean section (C-section)

Question 27

the hollow sphere of roughly 100 cells formed during the germinal stage in preparation for implantation

Answer 27

blastocyst

Question 28

slim, pipe-like structures that connect the ovaries with the uterus

Answer 28

fallopian tubes

Question 29

an illness carried on the mother’s X chromosome that typically leaves female offspring unaffected but has a 50/50 chance of affecting male offspring

Answer 29

sex-linked single-gene disorder

Question 30

the inability to conceive after a year of unprotected sex (or inability to carry a child to term)

Answer 30

infertility

Question 31

popular method preparing women for childbirth by teaching pain management through relaxation and breathing exercises

Answer 31

Lamaze method

Question 32

painkilling medication used to numb a woman’s body below the waist during childbirth

Answer 32

epidural

Question 33

the union of sperm and egg

Answer 33

fertilization

Question 34

an illness that a child gets by inheriting one copy of the abnormal gene that causes it (50/50 chance if parent has it)

Answer 34

dominant disorder

Question 35

learning impairments and behavioral problems during infancy and childhood

Answer 35

developmental disorders

Question 36

an egg cell containing the genetic material contributed by the mother to the baby

Answer 36

ovum

Question 37

the developmental principle that growth occurs in a sequence from head to toe

Answer 37

cephalocaudal sequence

Question 38

most common chromosomal abnormality, causing intellectual disability, distinctive physical characteristics and health problems

Answer 38

Down syndrome

Question 39

a pregnant woman’s first feeling of the fetus moving inside her body

Answer 39

quickening

Question 40

segment of DNA that contains a chemical blueprint for manufacturing a particular protein, carrying out physical processes of life

Answer 40

gene

Question 41

third and final stage of prenatal development, characterized by physical refinements, massive growth, and development of the brain - lasts 7 months

Answer 41

fetal stage

Question 42

a quick test used to assess a just-delivered baby’s condition by measuring heart rate, muscle tone, respiration, reflex response, and color

Answer 42

Apgar scale

Question 43

the structure that attaches the placenta to the fetus, through which nutrients are passed and fetal wastes are removed

Answer 43

umbilical cord

Question 44

an infertility treatment in which conception occurs outside the womb

Answer 44

in vitro fertilization

Question 45

a fertilized ovum - result of fertilization

Answer 45

zygote

Question 46

a physical or neurological problem that occurs prenatally or at birth

Answer 46

birth defect

Question 47

chemical substances released in the bloodstream that target and change organs and tissues

Answer 47

hormones

Question 48

person who provides emotional and physical support during labor (natural childbirth), doesn’t perform any healthcare tasks

Answer 48

doula

Question 49

a riskier first-trimester pregnancy test for fetal genetic disorders, involves inserting catheter into vagina and withdrawing piece of placenta

Answer 49

chorionic villus sampling (CVS)

Question 50

a cylindrical structure that forms along the back of the embryo and develops into the brain and spinal cord

Answer 50

neural tube

Question 51

labor and birth experience without medical interventions

Answer 51

natural childbirth

Question 52

a weight at birth of less than 3 ¼ pounds

Answer 52

very low birth weight (VLBW)

Question 53

the developmental principle that growth occurs from the most interior parts of the body outward

Answer 53

proximodistal sequence

Question 54

pear-shaped muscular organ in a woman’s abdomen that houses the developing baby

Answer 54

uterus

Question 55

healthcare professional trained to handle low-risk deliveries with fewer medical interventions

Answer 55

certified midwife

Question 56

a cluster of birth defects caused by the mother’s alcohol consumption during pregnancy

Answer 56

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

Question 57

structure projecting from the wall of the uterus during pregnancy through which the developing baby absorbs nutrients

Answer 57

placenta

Question 58

a special hospital unit that treats at-risk newborns, such as LBW and VLBW babies

Answer 58

neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)

Question 59

the developmental principle that large structures (and movements) precede increasingly detailed refinements

Answer 59

mass-to-specific sequence

Question 60

a weight at birth of less than 5 ½ pounds

Answer 60

low birth weight (LBW)