CHAPTER THREE: Prenatal Development, Birth, and the Newborn Flashcards
what are the 3 stages of prenatal development
Takes an average of 38 weeks
Three stages:
1. The period of Zygote (weeks 1-2)
2. The period of Embryo (3-8 weeks)
3. The period of Fetus (9-38 weeks)
- Period of germinal/zygote
- From conception until zygote enters uterus and becomes implanted (8 to 10 days after conception)
- zygote grows rapidly through cell divisions and travels along the fallopian tube toward the uterus
- placenta forms
- this is when twins do or dont develop
- the blastocyst buries deep into the uterine lining. The outer layer forms a membrane (known as an amnion) which encloses the developing organism in amniotic fluid
umbilical cord
- contains a vein that delivers blood loaded with nutrients from the placenta to the zygote, and two arteries that remove waste products
- cord is form, floats freely like an astronaut on a spacewalk
blastocyst
After about four days, the zygote comprises about 100 cells, resembling a hollow ball
- outer layer forms a membrane (amnion)
- protect and nourish developing fetus
placenta
a structure for exchanging
nutrients and wastes between the mother and the developing organism
embryonic period (weeks 3-8)
- most rapid prenatal changes take place
- Once the blastocyst is completely embedded in the uterine wall, it is called an embryo
- organs develop
- sexual differentiation has begun
- teratogens are very harmful
- nervous system develops
- During the second month, limbs start to emerge, and the eyes, ears, nose, jaw, and neck form
what 3 layers form in the embryo
- The outer layer, ectoderm, will become hair, the outer layer of skin, and the nervous
system - The middle layer, or mesoderm, will form muscles, bones, and the circulatory system
- The inner layer, or endoderm, will form the digestive system and the lungs
what does the embryo rest in
The embryo rests in an amniotic sac which is filled with amniotic fluid that cushion the embryo
and maintains a constant temperature
what 2 structures is the embryo linked to
- The umbilical cord houses blood vessels that join the embryo to the placenta.
- The blood flows through the villi –-finger like projections from the umbilical blood
vessels
fetal period (weeks 9-38)
- nervous system, respiratory and digestive systems
- cerebral cortex grow (wrinkled surface of the brain that regulate many important human behaviours)
- males develop testes , females develop ovaries
- eyebrows, eyelashes and scalp hair emerge
- grows in weight and length
vernix
The skin thickens and is covered with a thick, greasy substance called vernix,
which protects the fetus during its long bath in amniotic fluid
age of viability (22-26 weeks)
is the point at which a baby could survive; but born this early, he or she will need assistance to breathe, and has only a slim chance of survival
fetal behaviour
● An active fetus is more likely than an inactive fetus to be an unhappy, difficult baby
The fetuses’ senses work
● They can hear the mother’s beating hear and its mother speak and hear others speak to
her
● Late in pregnancy, enough light passes through the abdominal wall for a fetus to see
teratogens
agents that cause damage to an embryo or fetus
- greatest risk during first 8 weeks of gestation
a) Diseases
b) Drugs
c) Environmental hazards
the 6 general principles apply to all tertatogens:
- The susceptibility of the organism depends on its developmental stage.
- A teratogen’s effects are likely to be specific to a particular organ.
- Individual organisms vary in their susceptibility to teratogens.
- The mother’s physiological state influences susceptibility to teratogens.
- The greater the concentration of a teratogenic agent, the greater the risk.
- Teratogens that have little or no effect on the mother can seriously affect the developing organism
thalidomide
- many women took this drug to help with morning sickness
- were giving birth to
babies witb deformed arms, legs, hands or fingers
teratogenic diseases
- aids
- cytomegalovirus
- genital herpes
- rubella
- syphilis
cigarette smoking and how it affects kid
– the nicotine constricts blood vessels and reduce the oxygen and nutrients
that can reach the fetus through the placenta
- more likely to miscarry
- smaller than average kid
- attention, cognitive and language skills
fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
-pregnant women who consume large quantities of alcoholic beverages
- heart problems and atypical facial features
- Leading cause of developmental disabilities in North America
examples of environmental teratogens
- air pollutants
- lead
- mercury
- x rays
- PCBs
spinia bifida
when a mother does not consume adequate amounts of folic acid, a disorder
in which the embryo’s neural tube does not close properly during the first month of
pregnancy (neural tube develops the brain and spinal cord, can cause permanent damage
to nervous stem and spinal cord)
How Teratogens Influence Prenatal Development
- The impact depends on the genotype of the organism
- The impact changes over the course of prenatal development
- Each teratogen affects a specific aspect (or aspects) of prenatal development
- The impact depends on the dose
- Damage is not always evident at birth
how chronic stress affects kid
- weigh less than average
- less able to pay attention
- increasing heart rate and activity level
- weaken immune system
- epigenetic changes
- elevated levels of cortisol