Ch 3. Prenatal Development and Birth

Question 1

Germinal Period

Answer 1

The period of prenatal development that takes place in the first two weeks after conception. It includes the creation of the zygote, continued cell division, and the attachment of the zygote to the uterine wall.

Question 2

Blastocyst

Answer 2

The inner layer of cells that develops during the germinal period. These cells later develop into the embryo.

Question 3

Trophoblast

Answer 3

The outer layer of cells that develops in the germinal period. These cells provide nutrition and support for the embryo.

Question 4

Embryonic Period

Answer 4

The period of prenatal development that occurs two to eight weeks after conception. During the embryonic period, the rate of cell differentiation intensifies, support systems for the cells form, and organs appear.

Question 5

Amnion

Answer 5

The life-support system that is a bag or envelope that contains a clear fluid in which the developing embryo floats.

Question 6

Umbilical Cord

Answer 6

A life-support system containing two arteries and one vein that connects the baby to the placenta.

Question 7

Placenta

Answer 7

A life-support system that consists of a disk-shaped group of tissues in which small blood vessels from the mother and offspring intertwine.

Question 8

Organogenesis

Answer 8

Organ formation that takes place during the first two months of prenatal development.

Question 9

Fetal Period

Answer 9

Lasting about seven months, the prenatal period between two months after conception and birth in typical pregnancies.

Question 10

Neurons

Answer 10

Nerve cells, which handle information processing at the cellular level in the brain.

Question 11

Teratogen

Answer 11

From the Greek word tera, meaning “monster.” Any agent that causes a birth defect. The field of study that investigates the causes of birth defects is called teratology.

Question 12

Psychoactive Drugs

Answer 12

Drugs that act on the nervous system to alter states of consciousness, modify perceptions, and change moods. Examples include caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, as well as illicit drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and heroin.

Question 13

Fetal Alchohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Answer 13

A cluster of abnormalities that appear in the offspring of mothers who drink alcohol heavily during pregnancy.

Question 14

Afterbirth

Answer 14

The third stage of birth, when the placenta, umbilical cord, and other membranes are detached and expelled.

Question 15

Doula

Answer 15

A caregiver who provides continuous physical, emotional, and educational support for the mother before, during, and after childbirth.

Question 16

Natural Childbirth

Answer 16

This method attempts to reduce the mother’s pain by decreasing her fear through education about childbirth and relaxation techniques during delivery.

Question 17

Prepared Childbirth

Answer 17

Developed by French obstetrician Ferdinand Lamaze, this childbirth strategy is similar to natural childbirth but includes a special breathing technique to control pushing in the final stages of labor and a more detailed anatomy and physiology course.

Question 18

Breech Positivity

Answer 18

The baby’s position in the uterus that causes the buttocks to be the first part to emerge from the vagina.

Question 19

Cesarean Delivery

Answer 19

Surgical procedure in which the baby is removed from the mother’s uterus through an incision made in her abdomen.

Question 20

Apgar Scale

Answer 20

A widely used method of assessing the health of newborns at one and five minutes after birth. The Apgar Scale evaluates an infant’s heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, body color, and reflex irritability.

Question 21

Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS)

Answer 21

A measure that is used in the first month of life to assess the newborn’s neurological development, reflexes, and reactions to people and objects.

Question 22

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS)

Answer 22

An “offspring” of the NBAS, the NNNS provides an assessment of the newborn’s behavior, neurological and stress responses, and regulatory capacities.

Question 23

Low Birth Weight Infants

Answer 23

An infant that weighs less than 5½ pounds at birth.

Question 24

Preterm Infants

Answer 24

Those born before the completion of 37 weeks of gestation (the time between fertilization and birth).

Question 25

Small For Date Infants

Answer 25

Also called small for gestational age infants, these infants’ birth weights are below normal when the length of pregnancy is considered. Small for date infants may be preterm or full term.

Question 26

Kangaroo Care

Answer 26

Treatment for preterm infants that involves skin-to-skin contact.

Question 27

Postpartum Period

Answer 27

The period after childbirth when the mother adjusts, both physically and psychologically, to the process of childbirth. This period lasts for about six weeks or until her body has completed its adjustment and returned to a near prepregnant state.

Question 28

Postpartum Depression

Answer 28

Characteristic of women who have such strong feelings of sadness, anxiety, or despair that they have trouble coping with daily tasks in the postpartum period.

Question 29

Bonding

Answer 29

The formation of a close connection, especially a physical bond, between parents and their newborn in the period shortly after birth.