Deck 3: C: Prenatal Development, Birth, and the Newborn

Question 1

What are some common environmental teratogens and their potential consequences?

Answer 1

A good answer will include the following key points:
∙Lead: Developmental disabilities.
∙Mercury: Retarded growth, developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy.
∙PCBs: Impaired memory and verbal skill.
∙X-rays: Retarded growth, leukemia, developmental disabilities..

Question 2

Your friend Chloe is pregnant and she told you that she knows the three stages of prenatal development-the first trimester, the second trimester, and the third trimester-but she wasn't exactly sure about what happens during each of the stages. What can you tell Chloe about the three stages of prenatal development and the major events that occur during each of the stages?

Answer 2

A good answer will be similar to the following:
Tell Chloe that even though people often refer to the three trimesters of pregnancy they do not correspond to the three stages of prenatal development. The first stage of prenatal development is called the period of the zygote and it lasts from conception until two weeks after conception. Rapid division of the cells and differentiation of the cells characterize this period. The period of the zygote ends when the zygote is completely implanted in the lining of the wall of the uterus. The second period is called the period of the embryo and it lasts from the third week to the eighth week after conception. During this period of prenatal development, most of the organs and systems of the body are formed. The third period is the period of the fetus. This period lasts from nine weeks until 38 weeks after conception. During this final period, the fetus grows from four to eight ounces to its birth weight of seven to eight pounds. Many of the bodily systems that were formed during the period of the embryo are refined during the period of the fetus to prepare the fetus for life outside the uterus. An insulating layer of fat also develops during this period.

Question 3

What are some common teratogenic drugs and their potential consequences?

Answer 3

A good answer will include the following key points:
∙Accutane: Abnormalities of the central nervous system, eyes, and ears.
∙Alcohol: Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), cognitive deficits, heart damage, retarded growth.
∙Aspirin: Deficits in intelligence, attention, and motor skills.
∙Caffeine: Lower birth weight, decreased muscle tone.
∙Cocaine and heroin: Retarded growth, irritability in newborns.
∙Marijuana: Lower birth weight, less motor control.
∙Nicotine: Retarded growth, possible cognitive impairments.

Question 4

Name and describe four infant behavioural states.

Question 5

What are some birth complications? Briefly describe the key features of each.

Question 6

Chloe wonders how long her labour will last. She has heard stories about women whose labours are so short that they had their babies in the back of a car or an elevator. What can you tell Chloe about the typical length of labour for a first-born child?

Question 7

Chloe is concerned about the amount of weight that she will gain during pregnancy. She doesn't want to get "too fat." She has heard of women who gain only 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) while pregnant and they wear their pre-maternity clothes home from the hospital. What can you tell Chloe about weight gain during pregnancy?

Question 8

What are some common teratogenic diseases and their potential consequences?

Question 9

Name the three periods of prenatal development, the weeks they occur, and characteristics of development during each period.

Question 10

Discuss the pros and cons associated with older women (sometimes using reproductive technologies) becoming pregnant.

Question 11

Chloe is concerned that her baby will not be healthy when it is born. She is wondering if there is anything she can do that will help ensure that her baby will be okay. What advice can you give Chloe about the steps that she can take toward a healthy baby?

Question 12

Describe the three stages of labour and delivery.

Question 13

Chloe is in her sixth month of pregnancy and she isn't sure if she should take the prepared childbirth classes that are being offered at the local hospital. The class meets for three hours every Monday night for six weeks and that looks like a big time commitment to Chloe. What can you tell Chloe about the benefits of prepared childbirth classes?

Question 14

If you were an environmentalist trying to ensure that heavy industrial chemical plants disposed of their waste properly (or better, found cleaner ways of operating), how could you use teratogens to argue your case?

Question 15

Describe ultrasound, amniocentesis, and chorionic villus sampling and the kind of information that can be obtained from each.

Question 16

Name the three layers present in three-week-old embryos and describe what each layer will later form.

Question 17

What are five general principles governing the influence of teratogens on prenatal development?