Chapter 4 Flashcards
Infertility
Not being able to get pregnant after a year of trying
artificial insemination
injecting sperm into a woman’s uterus
in vitro fertilization (IVF)
several eggs are removed from a woman’s ovary and manually combined with sperm in a laboratory dish before being returned to a woman’s uterus in hopes that one egg will implant on the wall of the uterus
embryologists
people who study early growth and development
three stages of prenatal development
germinal, embryonic, fetal
germinal period
First trimester; approximately 2 weeks; zygote begins to divide through mitosis, forms blastocyst, enters the uterus and attaches itself to the uterine wall
blastocyst
a hollow wall of about 150 cells (attaches to the uterine wall)
embryonic period
continues the 1st trimester; 3rd - 8th week; organogenesis
organogenesis
part of the embryonic period where every major organ takes shape
aminon
a watertight membrane that fills with fluid that cushions and protects the embryo
chorion
a membrane that surrounds the minon and attaches root-like extensions called villi to the uterine lining to gather nourishment for the embryo; eventually becomes the lining of the placenta
placenta
a tissue fed by blood vessels from the mother and connected to the embryo by the umbilical chord
spina bifida
part of the spinal cord is not fully encased in the protective covering of the spinal column.
may lead the child to have neurological problems
anencephaly
a condition that is caused by failure of the neural tube to fully close; a lethal defect in which the main portion of the brain above the brain stem fails to develop
fetal period
9th week to birth; middle and last trimester; critical period for brain development which involves proliferation, migration,and differentiation
proliferation
neurons multiplying at a staggering rate during this period resulting in about 100 billion neurons
proliferation
multiplication of neurons during the fetal period; results in 100 billion neurons
migration
during the fetal period, stage in which the neurons move from their place of origin in the center of the brain to their particular locations throughout the brain where they will have specific functions
differentiation
part of the fetal period in which a neuron’s function is determined by the area to which it migrates despite its original purpose
fetal programming
epigenetic effects of the environment that influence developmental outcomes
fetal programming
epigenetic effects of the environment that influence developmental outcomes
teratogen
any disease, drug, or other agent that can harma developing fetus
critical period
a time during which a developing organism is especially sensitive to environmental influences
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
condition caused by smoking during pregnancy in which a sleeping baby suddenly stops breathing and dies
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
noticeable physical symptoms due to alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Results in a small head and distinctive facial abnormalities
Rubella (German measles)
child may be born with blindness, deafness, heart defects and intellectual disability
syphilis
can cause miscarriage or stillbirth in about 6% of cases; children who live can suffer from blindness, deafness, heart problems or brain damage
AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)
destroys the immune system and makes victims more susceptible to “opportunistic” infections that eventually kill them unless they are treated - can be transmitted from mother to baby through the placenta, during the birthing process, or during breastfeeding
perinatal environment
environment surrounding the birth
anoxia
oxygen shortage; can happen if umblilical chord is pinched or tangled during birth, or if sedatives given to the mother reach the fetus and interfere with its breathing- can lead to memory impairment or cerebral palsy
breech presentation
when a baby is in the uterus feet or buttocks first
cerebral palsy
a neurological disability primarily associated with difficulty controlling muscle movements; increases risk of learning or intellectual disabilities
oxytocin
hormone released by the pituitary gland that can initiate and speed up contractions - may be administered if a woman’s labor has stalled
at-risk newborns
either short term or long term problems because of genetic defects, prenatal hazards or perinatal damage
