Chapter 4: Prenatal Development & Birth Flashcards
Embryonic Period
Third through the eighth week. Happens after conception, basic forms of all body structures, and internal organs.
Fetal Period
Ninth week until birth. Fetus gains 7 pounds and organs become more mature, more able to function on their own.
Implantation
Process about 10 days after conception. The child burrows into the placenta lining the uterus, where it is protected and nourished.
Embryo
Name of a developing child from third to eighth week of conception.
Fetus
Name of developing child from the ninth week until birth.
Ultrasound
Image of a fetus produced by using high frequency sound waves.
Age of Viability
Age at which a fetus might survive outside of mother’s uterus if proper medical care is valid.
Apgar Scale
Quick assessment of a newborn’s health. All parts of baby are given a score out of 0-2 twice, at 1-5 minutes, and each time all scores is compared to a 10 score.
Cesarean Section (C-Section)
Surgical birth where incisions are made for the fetus to cone through the mother’s abdomen instead of vagina.
Doula
Person trained to support the delivering woman.
Teratogen
Drugs, viruses, pollutants, or stress increasing risk of prenatal abnormalities and birth complications.
Behavioral Teratogens
Conditions that can harm the prenatal brain, affecting child’s intellectual and emotional functions.
Threshold Effect
Where a teratogen is harmless in small doses, but becomes harmful once exposure reaches a certain level.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Happening during period of the embryo, a mother’s heavy drinking can cause this.
False Positive
Test that determines if a problem is false and does not exist.
Cerebral Palsy
Disease caused by difficulties in movement. Their speech can also be affected by this as well. This is brain damage to the motor centers.
Anoxia
Lack of oxygen that can cause brain damage or death.
Low Birthweight (LBW)
Body weight at birth less than 5 and a half pounds.
Very Low Birthweight (VLBW)
Body weight at birth less than 3 pounds.
Extremely Low Birthweight (ELBW)
Body weight less than 2 pounds.
Preterm
Birth occurring 3 or more weeks before 38 weeks of the typical pregnancy.
Small for Gestational Age (SGA)
Full-term baby weighing 5 pounds, which is low. This can be any weight when predicted time is over.
Immigrant Paradox
Immigrant women tend to have fewer birth complications than native-born peers with higher incomes.
Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS)
Test to newborns measuring responsiveness and records 46 behaviors, and 20 reflexes.
Reflex
Unlearned action or movement in response to a stimulus. A reflex occurs without conscious thought.
Postpartum Depression
New mother’s feelings of sadness in the days/weeks after giving birth.
Couvade
Symptoms of pregnancy and birth experienced by father’s.
Parental Alliance
Cooperation between a mother and father based on mutual commitment to children. Parents support each other in parental roles.
Parent-Infant Bond
Strong, loving connection forming as parents hold, examine, and feed newborn.
Kangaroo Care
Newborn care where mother’s (sometimes father’s) rest their babies on their chests like a kangaroo does.
Germinal Period
First two weeks of prenatal development. Happens after conception, caused by rapid cell division and beginning of cell differentiation.
Germinal
Name of developing child from first through the third week of conception.
