Chapter 3: Prenatal Development and Birth

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Chapter 3 Prenatal Development and Birth

• Teratogens Hazardous to the Babys Health

By Kati Tumaneng (for Drs. Cook Cook)
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Teratogens Hazardous to the Babys Health

• Most defects occur from unknown causes.
• 1/3 related to environmental factors during
  prenatal development.
• Fetus buffered but not fully protected.
• Teratogen Any substance or condition that might
  disrupt embryonic development and cause birth
  defects.
• More info on birth defects from March of Dimes
  www.modimes.org/

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Alcohol

• 19 pregnant women drink alcohol during
  pregnancy.
• Can cause physical deformities, growth
  retardation, damage to the central nervous
  system, and miscarriage and fetal death.
• Children at greater risk for being impulsive,
  easily distracted, and hyperactive having
  retarded brain growth and lowered IQ.
• Leading non-genetic cause of mental retardation
  in US.

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Alcohol

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Syndrome of birth
  defects cause by prenatal exposure to alcohol.
  Includes growth deficiencies, head and facial
  malformations, and central nervous system
  dysfunction. Fully preventable.
• Fetal Alcohol Effects Individual or multiple
  birth defects caused by prenatal exposure to
  alcohol. Lowered IQ, hyperactivity, growth
  deficiencies, head and facial malformations, and
  central nervous system dysfunction.
• There is no safe level of alcohol consumption.

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Alcohol

• Child with FAS

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Cocaine

• 1 in every 100 pregnant women use cocaine may be
  underreported.
• Fetal exposure retards growth, can cause preterm
  birth, and can cause malformation in babys
  brain, intestines, and genital-urinary tract
  hemorrhage, lesions, and swelling in brain.
• Increased irritability, muscle tremors, rigidity,
  decreased spontaneous movement impaired sensory
  function, decreased visual attention, and trouble
  regulating their own state of arousal.

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Cocaine
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Cigarette Smoking

• 12 percent of pregnant women smoke.
• 450 different harmful chemicals in cigarette
  smoke.
• Mother and baby gain less weight baby more
  likely to be premature and have health
  complication.
• More likely to be hyperactive, have short
  attention span, and score lower in reading,
  spelling, and math.
• Increase risk for spontaneous abortions,
  stillbirths, and neonatal deaths.
• Quit Smoking http//www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/tobac-t
  abac/index_e.html

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Maternal Diseases

• Infectious diseases carried by mother, may
  endanger the fetus.
• May cause birth defects or death.
• Herpes Simplex Virus
• May be transmitted at birth if mother is showing
  symptoms.
• Premature, microcephaly, eye disorders, and
  mental retardation.
• Cytomegalovirus dangerous, especially during
  weeks 2-8.
• STDs http//www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/stds/

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Maternal Diseases

• Syphilis
• 1 in every 10,000 babies born with Syphilis.
• Birth defects include deafness, malformations of
  teeth and bones, facial deformities, excess fluid
  in the brain, and mental retardation.
• Prompt treatment of mother may protect baby.
• HIV/AIDS
• Effects not yet clear but may include growth
  retardation and head and facial deformities.
• Baby usually contracts at or near delivery
  infection risk increases with breast-feeding.

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Maternal Age

• 900,000 teenagers become pregnant in US each
  year nearly ¼ of all births.
• Risk of low birth weight is highest in mothers
  under 15 and over 45.
• Young mothers not socially and cognitively mature
  enough to cope with stress in early pregnancy.
• Factors associated with teenage pregnancy
• Low income, poor education, social isolation,
  drug and alcohol use, lack of early prenatal care.

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Maternal Age
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Maternal Age

• Women in late 30s and into 40s have greater
  risk of prematurity, fetal death, and
  complications during birth.
• Increased risk of Down Syndrome.
• Even with increased risk, majority of pregnancies
  are normal.

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Critical Periods

• Segments of time when structures are first.
  forming and are most vulnerable to damage.
• Developing organism is at greatest risk for
  abnormalities during the Embryonic stage (weeks
  3-8).
• Women not often sure of pregnancy before 8th
  week.
• Lifestyle changes then may be too late.

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Critical Periods
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What about Fathers?

• When toxic substances affect sperm cells, the
  damaged sperm usually do not survive journey to
  the egg.
• Cocaine may disrupt development of zygote.
• Most birth defects result from mothers exposure
  to toxins.
• Men should consider how they contribute to
  prenatal hazards.
• Healthy pregnancy is the responsibility of both
  men and women.

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• Child on Slide 5 from Cook, J. L., Cook, G.
  (2005). Child development Principles and
  perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 97). Boston Allyn and
  Bacon.
• Infant on Slide 7 from Cook, J. L., Cook, G.
  (2005). Child development Principles and
  perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 98). Boston Allyn and
  Bacon.
• Chart on Slide 12 from Cook, J. L., Cook, G.
  (2005). Child development Principles and
  perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 101). Boston Allyn
  and Bacon.
• Chart on Slide 15 from Cook, J. L., Cook, G.
  (2005). Child development Principles and
  perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 103). Boston Allyn
  and Bacon.
• All images retrieved from Microsoft PowerPoint
  Clip Art.