Deck 4: Prenatal Development, Birth, and the Newborn

Question 1

Briefly describe the role and function of the placenta during prenatal development.

Answer 1

Via the umbilical cord, the placenta transports nutrients to the child and removes waste products from the child's body. Further, the placenta filters out some harmful substances to protect the child

Question 2

Prenatal exposure to drugs or harmful toxins can have severe consequences for the developing fetus. Recalling what you have learned about fetal alcohol syndrome, what arguments would you use to convince a friend not to consume alcohol during pregnancy (i.e., what are the potential consequences of alcohol consumption?)?

Answer 2

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy (even in small amounts) can lead to mental and growth retardation in the unborn child. In particular, children with fetal alcohol syndrome may show lower IQ and facial abnormalities

Question 3

Genetically speaking, how is gender determined and who (father or mother) determines the gender of the baby? Explain why.

Answer 3

Males have an XY genotype and females have an XX genotype, therefore the father determines the child's gender. Father's chromosomes split into one X and one Y chromosome; mother's chromosomes split into two X chromosomes

Question 4

Reflexes occur in an all-or-none fashion. Please explain what this means for the elicited reflex.

Question 5

A child is born with a cleft (malformed) lip. A doctor identifies that this malformation is not genetic but caused by an environmental event in early gestation. Which of the following is true?

A) The cleft is congenital.
B) The cleft is innate.
C) The cleft is congenital and innate.
D) None of the above.

Question 6

During the process of meiosis

A) Only the mother contributes genes.
B) Only the father contributes genes.
C) Mother and father contribute genes equally.
D) One parent contributes more genes than the other.

Question 7

Professor Smith studies the genotype of a boy and finds that he has 47 chromosomes. This child most likely what kind of disorder?

A) Genotype.
B) Phenotype.
C) Down syndrome.
D) Turner syndrome.

Question 8

Professor Smith has another patient who shows both male and female sexual organs. The genotype of the patient is XXY. This patient mostly likely has a condition known as

A) Heisenberg syndrome.
B) Klinefelter syndrome.
C) Trisomy-47.
D) Trisomy-21.

Question 9

To screen fetal DNA for inherited disorders, a pregnant mother may choose to perform

A) Chorionic villus sampling (CVS).
B) Amniocentesis.
C) Ultrasound.
D) Either a or b.

Question 10

A pregnant woman is told that her doctor would like to perform a test that would allow her to see the organs and structure of the developing fetus. The procedure this doctor wants to use is most likely:

A) Ultrasound.
B) Electroencephalogram (EEG).
C) Amniocentesis.
D) Maternal serum alphafetoprotein.

Question 11

Which of the following functions is NOT fulfilled by the placenta?

A) Delivery of nutrients.
B) Providing auditory stimulation.
C) Protection from environmental toxins.
D) Delivery of oxygen.

Question 12

Which of the following toxins can pass the placenta and negatively affect the unborn child?

A) Alcohol.
B) Nicotine.
C) Lead.
D) All of the above.

Question 13

The term "cephalocaudal development" means that

A) Development proceeds faster at sensory receptors.
B) Development proceeds fastest at limbs.
C) Development proceeds from head to tail.
D) Development proceeds fastest during the period of the fetus.

Question 14

Dr Jones studies the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome. What abnormalities will Dr Jones typically encounter in her patients?

A) Facial abnormalities.
B) Malformed feet.
C) Missing digits on the hands.
D) Malnutrition.

Question 15

Dr Williams studies the effects of the drug Thalidomide on development. He discovers that the drug only has an effect during the first trimester. This is an example of

A) Comorbidity.
B) Sensitive periods.
C) Dose-effect relation.
D) "At-risk" pregnancy.

Question 16

The effects of stress during pregnancy were studied in a natural experiment following an ice storm in Quebec, Canada. According to this research, what are the effects of stress on the developing child?

A) Stress affects cognitive development in the child.
B) When during development stress occurs is critical.
C) Stress affects language development in the child.
D) All of the above.

Question 17

Which of the following is true about sexual differentiation?

A) Mullerian duct system will develop in absence of testosterone.
B) Mullerian duct system will develop when testosterone is present.
C) Wolfian duct system will develop in absence of testosterone.
D) All of the above.

Question 18

In most women, labor begins after approximately

A) 20 weeks of gestation.
B) 37 weeks of gestation.
C) 40 weeks of gestation.
D) 47 weeks of gestation.

Question 19

During labor, the child is born through a process that involves

A) Voluntary contractions of the uterus guided by the hormone estrogen.
B) Voluntary contractions of the uterus guided by the hormone testosterone.
C) Involuntary contractions of the uterus initiated by the hormone testosterone.
D) Involuntary contractions of the uterus initiated by the hormone oxytocin.

Question 20

Anoxia during labor is dangerous for the baby and can be caused by

A) A pinched umbilical cord during contractions.
B) Umbilical cord wrapped around baby.
C) Baby holding and squeezing umbilical cord.
D) All of the above.

Question 21

Preterm birth may put a child at risk for

A) Spina bifida.
B) Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).
C) Malformed limbs.
D) Merconium.

Question 22

Preterm birth has NOT associated with

A) Bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
B) Intraventricular hemorrhage.
C) Precocious development and IQ.
D) Any of the above.

Question 23

Which of the following is not a newborn examination?

A) APGAR Test
B) Dubowitz Test
C) ADOS Test
D) NBAS Test

Question 24

Reflexes show the following properties:

A) They are learned and common to all members of a species.
B) They are unlearned and occur in an all-or-none fashion.
C) They are learned and emerge by 4-8 months of age.
D) They are unlearned and disappear during the first month of life.

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT an approach reflex?

A) Babinski reflex.
B) Rooting.
C) Sucking.
D) Swallowing.

Question 26

Sensory systems develop on a "staggered" schedule. Taking vision and audition as examples, a staggered schedule would mean that:

A) Vision and audition mature simultaneously.
B) Vision cannot mature until audition finishes maturation.
C) Audition cannot mature until vision finishes maturation.
D) Audition matures faster than vision.

Question 27

Professor Smith studies vision in newborns and prepares a new experiment on pattern discrimination. What aspects of vision development does she need to keep in mind as she designs her experiment?

A) Newborns have poor visual acuity and stimuli should be presented close to the child's eyes.
B) Newborns cannot see at all, and Dr. Smith should wait until the child is 1 month old.
C) Newborns have a bias for faces and will not focus on other stimuli in the environment.
D) All of the above.

Question 28

Genetic testing is now available for a range of congenital defects or inherited disorders. Briefly discuss the benefits and costs of such procedures. Using the test amniocentesis to test for Down syndrome as example, what considerations need to be made to decide if performing the test is useful?

Question 29

What is meant by premature birth and low birth weight birth? Are all preterm births fatal? If not, what are some of the problems associated with preterm births?

Question 30

Sensory systems develop prior to birth. For example, the unborn child can hear while still in the womb. Taking audition and vision as examples, describe how and when sensory systems mature in the womb.

Question 31

Describe how the effects of maternal stress during different times in pregnancy provide and example of sensitive periods during development.