Chapter 3 - Prenatal Development And Birth

Question 1

Germinal Period

Answer 1

Period of prenatal development taking place in the first 2 weeks after conception.

Creation of zygote, continued cell division, attachment of zygote to uterine wall

Question 2

Blastocyst

Answer 2

The inner layer of cells that develops during the germinal stage. 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 2 to 8 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

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

Question 6

3 Life Support Systems

Answer 6

Amnion, umbilical cord, placenta

Question 7

Umbilical Cord

Answer 7

A life-support system that contains 2 arteries and 1 vein and connects the baby to the placenta.

Question 8

Placenta

Answer 8

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 9

Organogenesis

Answer 9

Organ formation that takes place during the first 2 months of prenatal development.

Question 10

Fetal Period

Answer 10

The period from 2 months after conception until birth, lasting about 7 months in typical pregnancies.

Growth and development continue

Question 11

Neurons

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Teratogen

Answer 12

Any agent that causes a birth defect.

Teratology is the field of study that investigates the causes of birth defects.

Some exposures to teratogens do not cause physical birth defects but can alter the developing brain and influence cognitive and behavioral functioning, in which case the field of study is called behavioral teratology

Question 13

3 things that influence the severity of the damage and the type of defect from a teratogen

Answer 13

The dose, genetic susceptibility, and the time of exposure to a particular teratogen

Question 14

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)

Answer 14

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

Question 15

First Stage of Birth

Answer 15

Longest of the three. Uterine contractions are 15 to 20 minutes apart at the beginning and last up to a minute each. These contractions cause the cervix to stretch and open.

The contractions come closer together, appearing every two to five minutes. Their intensity increases.

By the end of the first birth stage, contractions dilate the cervix to an opening of about 10 centimeters (4 inches), so that the baby can move from the uterus into the birth canal. For a woman having her first child, the first stage lasts an average of 6 to 12 hours; for subsequent children, this stage typically is much shorter.

Question 16

Second Stage Of Birth

Answer 16

Begins when the baby’s head starts to move through the cervix and the birth canal. It terminates when the baby emerges completely from the mother’s body.

With each contraction, the mother bears down hard to push the baby out of her body. By the time the baby’s head is out of the mother’s body, the contractions come almost every minute and last for about a minute each. This stage typically lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

Question 17

Third Stage of Birth (Afterbirth)

Answer 17

Afterbirth is the third stage, at which time the placenta, umbilical cord, and other membranes are detached and expelled.

This final stage is the shortest of the three birth stages, lasting only minutes.

Question 18

Doula

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Natural Childbirth

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Prepared Childbirth

Answer 20

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 21

Breech Position

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Cesarean Delivery

Answer 22

Removal of the baby from the mother’s uterus through an incision made in her abdomen.

Question 23

Apgar Scale

Answer 23

Widely used method to assess the health of newborns at 1 and 5 minutes after birth. The Apgar Scale evaluates infants’ heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, body color, and reflex irritability.

Question 24

Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS)

Answer 24

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 25

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS)

Answer 25

Provides an assessment of the “at-risk” newborn’s behavior, neurological and stress responses, and regulatory capacities.

Question 26

Low Birth Weight Infant

Answer 26

Infant that weighs less than 51⁄2 pounds at birth.

Question 27

Preterm Infants

Answer 27

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

Question 28

Small for Date Infants

Answer 28

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

Question 29

Kangaroo Care

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Postpartum Period

Answer 30

The period after childbirth when the mother adjusts, both physically and psychologically, to the process of childbirth.

This period lasts about 6 weeks or until her body has completed its adjustment and returned to a near prepregnant state.

Question 31

Postpartum Depression

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Bonding

Answer 32

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