Consider a situation where a woman comes down with a case of rubella (German measles)in the eleventh week of pregnancy,as opposed to the thirtieth week of pregnancy.The difference in the way rubella would affect the unborn child at these two times is an example of

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The difference in the way rubella affects the unborn child during the eleventh and thirtieth week of pregnancy is an example of a critical period. A critical period is a specific, narrow window of time during which an organism is especially sensitive to environmental influences or experiences, and if the organism does not receive the necessary input during this time, the development can be permanently affected. In this case, a woman who contracts rubella during the eleventh week of pregnancy (the critical period for brain development) is at a higher risk of giving birth to a child with congenital rubella syndrome, which can cause permanent hearing loss, vision problems, intellectual disability, and other developmental delays. However, if the woman contracts rubella during the thirtieth week of pregnancy, the risk to the unborn child is significantly lower.

Consider a Situation Where a Woman Comes Down with a Case