Kathleen Stassen Berger

Part I

Chapter Four

Prenatal Development and Birth

From Zygote to Newborn Risk Reduction

The Birth Process

Prepared by Madeleine Lacefield Tattoon, M.A.

Prenatal Development and Birth

The majority of newborns are male (52%), and more are Chinese (30%) yet every baby is unique every area of development is directly relevant to the 150 million babies born in the world every year there are generalities and variation but expect to be awed by the miracle of birth.

From Zygote to Newborn

Prenatal development is divided into three main periods
germinal Period (0-2 weeks) embryonic Period (3-8 weeks) fetal Period (9 weeks-birth)

From Zygote to Newborn

Germinal: The First 14 Days
Conception occurs in fallopian tubes Cell differentiation and multiplication 42% of conceptions successfully implant in uterus

blastocyst
when cells take on distinct characteristics and gravitate toward particular positions, the entire cell mass (still very fragile and tiny)

placenta
the organ that surrounds the developing embryo and fetus, sustaining life via the umbilical cordattached to the wall of the uterus

Implantation
the process, beginning about 10 days after conception, which the developing organism burrows into the placenta that lines the uterus, where it can be nourished and protected as it continues to develop.
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From Zygote to Newborn

Embryo: from the third through the eighth week

embryonic period (3-8 weeks)

major organs develop at eight weeks, organism is less than 2 long

From Zygote to Newborn

From Zygote to Newborn

Fetus: From the Ninth Week Until Birth
Fetal Period (9 weeks-birth)
Sex organs develop Brain development is significant Age of viability occurs around 22 weeks

fetus
a developing organism from the ninth week after conception until birth

From Zygote to Newborn

The Third Month
the fetus has all its body parts weighs approximately 3 ounces, about 3 inches long growth is rapid fetus is too small survive outside of the womb
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From Zygote to Newborn

The Middle Three Months: Preparing to Survive
in the fourth, fifth and sixth months the heartbeat becomes stronger the cardiovascular system more active the brain increases about six times in size

age of viability
twenty-two weeks after conception a fetus can survive outside the mothers uterus if specialized medical care is available

From Zygote to Newborn

The Final Three Months: From Viability to Full Term
Viability life outside the womb is possible born in the seventh month requires intensive hospital care and life-support systems difference between preterm and newborn is the maturation of neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular systems

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Risk Reduction
toxins, illnesses and experiences can harm a developing person before birth
teratology
a science of risk analysis, the study of birth defects

teratogens
Agents and conditions that can harm the prenatal brain, impairing the future childs intellectual and emotional functioning

behavioral teratogens
Agents and conditions that can harm the prenatal brain, impairing the future childs intellectual and emotional functioning

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Risk Reduction
Determining Risk risk analysis the science of weighting the potential effects of a particular event, substance, or experience to determine the likelihood of harm Timing of Exposure critical period In prenatal development, the time when a particular organ or other body part of the embryo or fetus is most susceptible to damage by teratogens
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Risk Reduction
Amount of Exposure Threshold effect
a situation in which a certain teratogen is relatively harmless in small doses but becomes harmful once exposure reaches a certain level (the threshold)

Interaction effect
the result of a combination of teratogens. Sometimes risk is greatly magnified when an embryo or fetus is exposed to more than one teratogen at the same time

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Genetic Vulnerability

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Risk Reduction
Protective Measures
Benefits of Prenatal Care

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The Birth Process

The Newborns First Minutes

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The Birth Process

The Newborns First Minutes
Apgar scale
a quick assessment of a newborns body functioning.
color heart rate reflexes muscle tone respiratory effort

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 Variations medical Intervention

cesarean section

The Birth Process

fetus is removed through incisions in the mothers abdomen and uterus

birth complications
includes anything in the newborn, the mother, or the birth process itself that requires special medical attention

anoxia
a lack of oxygen that, if prolonged during birth, can cause brain damage or death to the baby
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The Birth Process

Low Birthweight (LBW) the average weight of a newborn is 7 lbs. LBW is considered less than 5 lbs. preterm is less than 35 weeks lifestyle choices e.g., cigarette smoking accounts for 25% of LBW births worldwide! maternal malnutrition multiple births prescription drugs unknown causes

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The Birth Process

Social Support
Mother, Father, and a Good Start Help from fathers parental alliance cooperation between a mother and a father based on their mutual communication to their children the parents agree to support each other in their shared parental roles

Postpartum Depression
8-15% of women experience postpartum depression, a sense of inadequacy and sadness after birth. includes irritability, sleep and eating disruptions, sadness, feeling overwhelmed and inadequate as a mom, no interest or overly worried about baby.

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