Chapter 2: Prenatal Development and the Newborn Period

Question 1

amniotic sac

Answer 1

a transparent, fluid-filled membrane that surrounds and protects the fetus

Question 2

apoptosis

Answer 2

genetically programmed cell death

Question 3

cephalocaudal development

Answer 3

the pattern of growth in which areas near the head develop earlier than areas farther from the head

Question 4

colic

Answer 4

excessive, inconsolable crying by a young infant for no apparent reason

Question 5

conception

Answer 5

the union of an egg from the mother and a sperm from the father

Question 6

developmental resilience

Answer 6

successful development in spite of multiple and seemingly overwhelming developmental hazards

Question 7

dose-response relation

Answer 7

a relation in which the effect of exposure to an element increases with the extent of exposure (prenatally, the more exposure a fetus has to a potential teratogen, the more severe its effect is likely to be)

Question 8

embryo

Answer 8

the name given to the developing organism from the 3rd to 8th week of prenatal development

Question 9

embryonic stem cells

Answer 9

embryonic cells, which can develop into any type of body cell

Question 10

epigenesis

Answer 10

the emergence of new structures and functions in the course of development

Question 11

fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

Answer 11

the harmful effects of maternal alcohol consumption on a developing fetus. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) involves a range of effects, including facial deformities, mental retardation, attention problems, hyperactivity, and other defects. Fetal alcohol effects (FAE) is a term used for individuals who show some, but not all, of the standard effects of FAS

Question 12

fetus

Answer 12

name given to the developing organism from the 9th week to birth

Question 13

fraternal twins

Answer 13

twins that result when two eggs happen to be released into the fallopian tube at the same time and are fertilized by two different sperm; fraternal twins have only half their genes in common

Question 14

gametes (germ cells)

Answer 14

reproductive cells–eggs and sperm–that contain only half the genetic material of all the other cells in the body

Question 15

habituation

Answer 15

a simple form of learning that involves a decrease in response to repeated or continued stimulation

Question 16

identical twins

Answer 16

twins that result from the splitting in half of the zygote, resulting in each of the two resulting zygotes having exactly the same set of genes

Question 17

infant mortality

Answer 17

death during the first year after birth

Question 18

low birth weight (LBW)

Answer 18

a birth weight of less than 5.5 pounds (2500 grams)

Question 19

meiosis

Answer 19

cell division that produces gametes

Question 20

mitosis

Answer 20

cell division that results in two identical daughter cells

Question 21

neural tube

Answer 21

a groove formed in the top layer of differentiated cells in the embryo that eventually becomes the brain and spinal cord

Question 22

non-REM sleep

Answer 22

a quiet or deep sleep state characterized by the absence of motor activity or eye movements and more regular, slow brain waves, breathing, and heart rate

Question 23

phylogenetic continuity

Answer 23

the idea that because of our common evolutionary history, humans share many characteristics, behaviors, and developmental processes with other animals, especially mammals

Question 24

placenta

Answer 24

a support organ for the fetus; it keeps the circulatory systems of the fetus and mother separate, but as a semipermeable membrane permits the exchange of some materials between them (oxygen and nutrients from mother to fetus and carbon dioxide and waste products from fetus to mother)

Question 25

premature

Answer 25

any child born at 35 weeks after conception or earlier (as apposed to the normal term of 38 weeks)

Question 26

rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

Answer 26

an active sleep state characterized by quick, jerky eye movements under closed lids and associated with dreaming in adults

Question 27

sensitive period

Answer 27

the period of time during which a developing organism is most sensitive to the effects of external factors; prenatally, the sensitive period is when the fetus is maximally sensitive to the harmful effects of teratogens

Question 28

small for gestational age

Answer 28

babies who weigh substantially less than is normal for whatever their gestational age

Question 29

state

Answer 29

level of arousal and engagement in the environment, ranging from deep sleep to intense activity

Question 30

sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Answer 30

the sudden, unexpected death of an infant less than 1 year of age that has no identifiable cause

Question 31

swaddling

Answer 31

a soothing technique, used in many cultures, that involves wrapping a baby tightly in cloths or a blanket

Question 32

teratogen

Answer 32

an external agent that can cause damage or death during prenatal development

Question 33

umbilical cord

Answer 33

a tube containing the blood vessels connecting the fetus and placenta

Question 34

zygote

Answer 34

a fertilized egg cell