Chapter 4 Prenatal Development

ultrasounds, regular doctors’ appointments, eating the right foods, vitamins, learning breathing techniques and how to go through labor

What are some examples of prenatal care?

viability of embryo

how likely it is that an embryo will survive

Miscarriage

a woman expels the embryo prematurely

germinal, embryonic, fetal

What are the periods of prenatal development?

• 1st two weeks after conception

• rapid cell division, beginning of cell differentiation

• size does not change

What happens during the germinal period of prenatal development?

• 3rd-8th week

• basic forms of all body structures are developed

What happens during the embryonic period of prenatal development?

• 9th week until birth

• Fetus grows in size and matures in functioning

What happens during the fetal period of prenatal development?

31%

What percent of all zygotes survive to birth?

• the time the baby is in the womb

• 266 days or 9 months

What is gestation?

1 week early or 2 weeks late (from the due date)

What is full-term considered to be?

22

The baby is viable outside the womb at __ weeks, but may not survive because it is very premature.

brain maturation and lung development

What is the crucial factor to determine whether a baby lives?

Meconium stains

1st stool of the baby, which is released into the amniotic fluid, causes birthmarks

• Tends to happen in post due date/late births

• breech

• multiples

• prior c-section

• advanced maternal age (mother is older than 36)

• large fetus (over 9 lbs)

• narrow pelvis

What are possible reasons for a C-section?

12 hours, 7 hours

How long is labor, on average, for first-time births? for subsequent births?

• the score a newborn receives when it is first born

• Appearance (color)

• Pulse (HR)

• Grimace (cry)

• Activity (muscle tone)

• Respiration (breathing)

What is the Apgar score?

teratogen

a condition that can cause birth defects or death

• viruses

• drugs

• chemicals

• stress

• malnutrition

What are some possible teratogens?

Mothers can take folic acid

What can the mother take to help reduce the risk of baby getting Spina Bifida?

a neural tube defect, specifically, the non-closure of the neural tube

What is Spina Bifida?

Some mothers carry an allele that reduces folic acid, causing Spina Bifida

What causes Spina Bifida?

under 5.5 lbs

What is considered LBW?

3 lbs 5 oz

What is considered VLBW?

2 lbs 3 oz

What is considered ELBW?

birth 2 or more weeks before 38 weeks (36 weeks or less)

What is considered pre-term?

lifelong poverty

What is LBW both a cause and predictor for?

Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS)

records 46 behaviors, including 20 reflexes

parent-infant bond

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

Breathing reflex, hiccups, sneezes, thrashing

What reflexes do babies have to maintain oxygen?

cry, shiver, tuck legs close to body, push away blankets

What reflexes do babies have to maintain body temp?

sucking reflex, rooting reflex, swallowing, crying, spitting up

What reflexes do babies have to manage feeding?

Babinkski Reflex

stroke feet and toes fan upward

stepping reflex

hold upright, place feet on flat surface and move legs like the infant is walking

swimming reflex

hold horizontally on stomach, and they stretch out arms and legs

Palmar Grasping Reflex

touch palm, and they grip tightly

Moro Reflex

bang on the table they are laying on, and they fling arms outward and then bring them together on chest, crying with wide open eyes (startled)

postpartum depression

• Range from mild to severe

• Mild “baby blues” to severe depression with psychosis

• 8-15% of new mothers experience this

relationships, supports/constraints, SES, baby behavior, difficulty with breastfeeding

Besides hormones, what else contributes to postpartum depression?

embryo

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

age of viability

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

APGAR scale

a quick assessment of a newborn’s health, from 0 to 10

done at one minute and again at five minutes after birth

When is the APGAR scale used?

cerebral palsy (CP)

a disorder that results from damage to the brain’s motor centers

• symptoms include difficulty with muscle control, speech and body movements are impaired

small for gestational age (SGA)

a baby whose birthweight is significantly lower than expected, given the time since conception

developmental delays, cry often, pay attention less, disobey more as toddlers, fewer friends in middle childhood due to neurological problems, higher risk of diabetes, depression in adulthood, more vulnerable to death in middle age

consequences of LBW