Prenatal Development

cephalo-cauldo

- prenatal development

- development moves from head to tail

proxima-distal

- development from inside out

- prenatal and infant development

placenta/umbilical cord

organ that connects circulatory system of mother and fetus

- removes waste and delivers nutrients/oxygen

amniotic fluid

- protects fetus

- allows for movement and practice breathing

germinal period

- first 2 weeks of pregnancy

- cell division

embryo

- weeks 3-8

- stops period

- males and females are identical

- backbone and nervous system/spinal chord develops

fetus

- develops after 9 weeks

pregnancy progression

fertilization in fallopian tubes, attaches to uterus, germinal period, embryo, fetus

third trimester

- rapid growth and brain development

preterm births

- before 27 weeks

- low birth weight

- more frequent with multiple/twin births

sensory development

- taste, smell, auditory senses

- prefer the smell of their own amniotic fluid and foods mom had eaten in pregnancy

cat in the hat study

- mom reads cat in the hat stories 2 times a day late in pregnancy

- newborns were tested for recognition of familiar story vs unfamiliar story through conditioned sucking

- babies sucked in patterns that produced familiar story

- proves fetuses have the ability to hear in utero

- not a predictor of how smart you are

birth weights

- uneducated and poor mothers have a higher chance of giving birth to babies with lower birth weight

- average is 7lb

gestational age

- how long babies are in weeks since last period

- premature births are caused by malnutrition and maternal smoking

pre-tirm births

- before 37 weeks

- reduced brain growth because it is fueled by less calories outside the womb

- increased sensory information puts pressure on brain growth

- ending of sheltered environment

- NICUs simulating the womb helps boost brain growth

causes of malnutrition

smoking, diet, timing, maternal malnourishment

dutch hunger winter

- famine in Netherlands during WW1, lasted 3 months

- babies who survived had health problems in adulthood because body was prepared to develop during a famine

- famine in first trimester: more likely to miscarry

- famine in second trimester: most likely to survive but more deaths in first year

- famine in third trimester: extremely small, more likely to die in first year

birth defects

- most causes are unknown

- some are genetic, some are known environmental factors

- unethical to test, so doctors give advice on the safe side

teratogens

substances and conditions that impact developing fetus

- timing, amount, genetic vulnerability play a role in impact

interviewing mothers who's first child had a birth defect

if mother had 1 infant with a birth defect,

- risk of 2nd affected was 7 times higher

- if mom stayed in same town, risk was 12 times higher

- if mom moved away, 5 times higher

bat natural experiment

- bat population has white nose fungus syndrome, increasing the bugs and the amount of insecticides used

- insecticide use has increased infant health

fetal alcohol syndrome

- caused by major drinking during pregnancy

- the more the mother drinks, the more the infant is impacted, sometime lasting into adolescence

- delayed motor and mental development at 8 months

- fathers drinking affect sperm, causing cleft palates and hydrocephalus

cigarettes

- largest modifiable factor for low birth weight

- second hand smoke has similar affects

- less fetal breathing, increased chance of preterm birth, low birth weight, weaker/less coordinated lungs, babies having lower attention span

cocaine

- effects unknown

- environmental concerns: if caregivers at home aren't addicted when the baby comes home, they were okay

- polydrug and confounding effects

weed

- may smoke weed medicinally

- effects: low birth weight, different behavior in preschool

soda

weak but positive association with ADHD

natural experiments with WW2 and 9/11

- mothers were more stressed and anxious around strangers

- many fathers died

- caused cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, metabolic disease

effects of pregnancy on women's brains

- shrinks in predictable areas

- more attached to infants

cervical effacement

baby needs to be upside down facing inward when giving birth

medical interventions in labor

inductions, C-sections, epidurals, episiotomy, version, forecepts

episiotomy

cut from vagina to anus to prevent ripping

forecepts

help pull baby's head out

version

when baby is in breach and the doctors try tochange the position of the baby for a vaginal birth

breaking the water

- water can break before you have the baby

- doctor can break your water to speed up birth

- popping of amniotic sack

apgar score

appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, respiration

reflexes

- checked in hospital to rule out problems in the CNS

morro reflex

when support is removed from their head, they throw their hads back and flail out

stepping reflex

whe pressure put on foot, they lift other leg's knee up

babinsky reflex

if you stroke the bottom of a baby's foot, they spread their toes

grasp reflex

when you put a finger near a baby's hand, they squeeze

immitation in newborns

- weight dictates ability to imitate

- babies mimic what you do, like sticking your tongue out

paid maternal leave

- no federal standard in US

- shortest maternity leave is in US, 4 weeks or less

family leave law

you go unpaid, but your job is protected

infant mortality

- baby passing away within the first year

- richer women can afford reproductive technology to have an earlier labor

- older mothers increase infant mortality

- in US, black babies have a higher infant mortality rate than white or Hispanic babies

maternal mortality

- highest in the US

- black women are at a higher risk

- maternal mortality is getting worse

when doctors and patients are different races

- risk of infants dying increases

- need to identify differences in practices and train better

- pediatricians have followed false guidelines linking race to risks for UTIs and other issues, so they go unchecked often

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