Chapter 4

Question 1

germinal period

Answer 1

-the first two weeks of prenatal development after conception, characterized by rapid cell division and the beginning of cell differentiation

Question 2

embryonic period

Answer 2

-the stage of prenatal development from approximately the third through the eighth week after conception, during which the basic forms of all body structures, including internal organs, develop

Question 3

fetal period

Answer 3

-the stage of prenatal development from the ninth week after conception until birth, during which the fetus gains about 7 pounds (more than 3,000 grams) and organs become more mature, gradually able to function on their own

Question 4

implantation

Answer 4

• begins about 10 days after conception
• the process in which the developing organism burrows into the placenta that lines the uterus, where it can be nourished and protected as it continues to develop

Question 5

embryo

Answer 5

-the name for a developing human organism from about the third through the eight week after conception

Question 6

fetus

Answer 6

-the name for a developing human organism from the start of the ninth week after conception until birth

Question 7

ultrasound

Answer 7

-an image of a fetus (or an internal organ) produced by using high frequency sound waves

Question 8

age of viability

Answer 8

-the age (about 22 weeks after conception) at which a fetus might survive outside the mother’s uterus if specialized medical care is available

Question 9

Apgar Scale

Answer 9

• a quick assessment of a newborn’s health
• baby’s color, heart-rate, reflexes, muscle tone, and respiratory effort are given a score of 0,1, or 2 twice–at one minute and 5 minutes after birth–and each time the total of all five scores is compared to the maximum score of 10

Question 10

c-section

Answer 10

• cesarean
• a surgical birth, in which incisions through the mother’s abdomen and uterus allow the fetus to be removed quickly, instead of being delivered through the vagina

Question 11

doula

Answer 11

• a woman who helps the birth process
• traditionally in Latin America, this is the only professional who attended childbirth
• now likely to arrive at the woman’s home during early labor and later work alongside a hospital’s staff

Question 12

teratogens

Answer 12

-agents and conditions, including viruses, drugs, and chemicals, that can impair prenatal development and result in birth defects or even death

Question 13

behavioral teratogens

Answer 13

-agents and conditions that can harm the prenatal brain, impairing the future child’s intellectual and emotional functioning

Question 14

threshold effect

Answer 14

-in prenatal development, when a teratogen is relatively harmless in small doses but becomes harmful once exposure reaches a certain level (the threshold)

Question 15

FAS

Answer 15

• fetal alcohol syndrome
• a cluster of birth defects, including abnormal facial characteristics, slow physical growth, and retarded mental development, that may occur in the fetus of a woman who drinks alcohol while pregnant

Question 16

LBW

Answer 16

• low birthweight
• a body weight at birth less than 5.5 lbs (2,500 grams)

Question 17

VLBW

Answer 17

• very low birthweight
• a body weight at birth of less than 3 lbs, 5 ounces (1,500 grams)

Question 18

ELBW

Answer 18

• extremely low birthweight
• a body weight at birth of less than 2lbs 3 oz (1,000 grams)

Question 19

preterm

Answer 19

-a birth that occurs 3 or more weeks before the full 38 weeks of the typical pregnancy—that is, at 35 or fewer weeks after conception

Question 20

SGA

Answer 20

• small for gestational age
• a term for a baby whose birthweight is significantly lower than expected, fiven the time since conception
• ex: a 5 lb (2,265g) newborn is considered SGA if born on time but not SGA if born two months early
• aka small-for-dates

Question 21

cerebral palsy

Answer 21

• a disorder that results from damage to the brain’s motor centers
• people with this disease have difficulty with muscle control, so their speech and/or body movements are impaired

Question 22

anoxia

Answer 22

-a lack of oxygen that, if prolonged, can cause brain damage or death

Question 23

NBAS

Answer 23

• Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale
• a test often administered to newborns that measures responsiveness and records 46 behaviors, including 20 reflexes

Question 24

reflex

Answer 24

• an unlearned, involuntary action or movement in response to a stimulus
• occurs without conscious thought

Question 25

couvade

Answer 25

-symptoms of pregnancy and birth experienced by fathers

Question 26

parental alliance

Answer 26

• cooperation between a mother and a father based on their mutual commitment to their children
• within this, the parents support each other in their shared parental roles

Question 27

postpartum depression

Answer 27

-a new mother’s feelings of inadequacy and sadness in the days and weeks after giving birth

Question 28

parent-infant bond

Answer 28

-the strong, loving connection that forms as parents hold, examine, and feed their newborn

Question 29

kangaroo care

Answer 29

-a form of newborn care in which mothers (and sometimes fathers) rest their babies on their naked chests, like __________mothers that carry their immature newborns in a pouch on their abdomen