Biological and Environmental Foundations

Question 1

dominant genes (2)

Answer 1

• genes that are always expressed regardless of what they are paired with
• brown eyes; black and brown hair

Question 2

recessive genes (2)

Answer 2

• expressed only if paired with another recessive gene

- blue, green, and hazel eyes; blonde and red hair

Question 3

dominant-recessive disorders (2)

Answer 3

• diseases inherited by dominant-recessive process

- example: Huntington’s Disease (dominant) or Phenylketonuria/PKU (recessive)

Question 4

X-linked disorders (3)

Answer 4

• disease carried on X chromosome
• men only have one X-chromosome so they are more commonly affected; recessive genes are still expressed because they do not have another chromosome to override it
• women are usually carriers
  examples: Hemophilia (blood disorder) and colour blindness

Question 5

chromosomal abnormalities (2)

Answer 5

• result from errors during cell reproduction (meiosis or mitosis) or damage after cells have reproduced
• examples: Down Syndrome (extra chromosome), Turner Syndrome (affect woman missing X chromosome), Klinefelter Syndrome (men have extra X chromosome)

Question 6

mutations (3)

Answer 6

• sudden change or abnormality in gene structure that occurs spontaneously or through environmental toxins
• about half of conceptions carry mutations and are miscarried or aborted
• toxin examples: radiation or agricultural chemicals in food

Question 7

Maternal Characteristics and Behaviours: Age (2)

Answer 7

• age of pregnant mother is increasing in Western places due to delaying of marriage
• can be negative because pregnancy above 35yo can be risky (miscarriages, still-births, Down Syndrome) and considered a high-risk pregnancy

Question 8

Maternal Characteristics and Behaviours: Nutrition (3)

Answer 8

• pregnant mothers should consume 2000-3000 cal/day
• many lack access to this creating complications
• woman in poverty often lack folic acid, a B vitamin, causing failure of neural tube to close

Question 9

Maternal Characteristics and Behaviours: Emotional Well-Being (3)

Answer 9

• pregnant mothers with chronic and severe stress are more likely to have baby that is low birth weight, premature, and more likely to have a longer hospital stay
• stress hormones cross placenta and raise heart rate and activity
• long term effects: anxiety, ADHD, and aggression in child

Question 10

Maternal Characteristics and Behaviours: Prenatal Care

Answer 10

• basic set of services provided to improve pregnancy outcomes: nutritional advice, prenatal vitamins, and regular check-ups
• some mothers lack this due to lack of health insurance (from unemployment are non-providing jobs), are in ethnic groups, have low socioeconomic status families, lack of transportation, job with limited opportunity to leave during the day for appointments, in woman who are unsure about wanting to be pregnant, and in woman who have had negative experience in healthcare system