Chapter 4 Flashcards
germinal period
the first two weeks of prenatal development after conception, characterized by rapid cell division and the beginning of cell differentation
embryonic period
the stage of prenatal development from approximately the third week through the eighth week after conception, during which the basic forms of all body structures, including internal organs, develop.
fetal period
the stage of prenatal development from the ninth week after conception to birth, during which the fetus gains about 7 lbs and organs become mature, gradually able to function on their own
embryo
the name for a developing human organism from 3rd week through 8th week
cephalocaudal
growth and development that occurs from the head down
proximodistal
growth and development that occurs from the center/core outwards
fetus
the name for a developing human organism from the start of the ninth week after conception until birth
age of viability
the age (about 22 weeks) at which a fetus might survive outside the mothers uterus if specialized medical care is available
doula
a woman who helps with the birth process
apgar scale
a quick assessment of a newborn’s health, from 0-10. below 5 is an emergency, most babies are at a 7, 8, or 9, almost never a perfect 10
cesarean (C) section
a surgical birth in which incisions through the mothers abdomen and uterus allow the fetus to be removed quickly instead of being delivered through the vagina
cerebral palsy
a disorder that results from damage to the brain’s motor centers. people with cerebral palsy have difficulty with muscle control, so their speech and/or body movements are impaired
anoxia
a lack of oxygen, if prolonged, can cause brain damage or death
teratogen
an agent or condition, including viruses, drugs, and chemicals, that can impair prenatal development and result in birth defects or even death
behavioral teratogen
agents and conditions that can harm the prenatal brain, impairing the future child’s intellectual and emotional functioning
threshold effect
in prenatal development, when a teratogen is relatively harmless in small doses but becomes harmful once exposure reached at a certain level (threshold)
fetal alcohol syndrome
a cluster of birth defects, including abnormal facial characteristics, slow physical growth, and reduced intellectual ability, that may occur in the fetus of a woman who drinks alcohol while pregnant
false positive
the result of a laboratory test that reports something as true when it’s not true
low birthweight (LBW)
a body weight at birth of less that 2,500g (5 lbs 5 oz)
very low birthweight (VLBW)
a body weight at birth of less that 1,500g (3 lbs 5 oz)
extremely low birthweight (ELBW)
a body weight at birth of less that 1,000g (2 lb 3 oz)
preterm
a birth that occurs two or more weeks before the full 38 weeks of the typical pregnancy - that is, at 36 or fewer weeks after conception
small for gestational age (SGA)
a term for a baby whose birthweight is significantly lower than expected, given the time since conception
immigrant paradox
the surprising paradoxical fact that low-SES immigrant women tend to have fewer birth complications than native-born peers with higher incomes
