Prenatal
Development
and
Birth4
Chapter
Prenatal Development and Birth
Prenatal development begins at the moment of
conception with a zygote
◦ Conception: the moment at which the male’s sperm
cell
penetrates the female’s egg cell
◦ Zygote: the single new cell formed when a sperm cell
attaches itself to the surface of an ovum (egg)
Stages of Prenatal Development
Germinal stage
◦ Occurs during the first two weeks of pregnancy; characterized
by rapid cell division
Embryonic stage
◦ Lasts from week 2 through week 8
◦ Growth occurs in two patterns: cephalocaudal (head-to-tail)
and proximodistal (near-to-far, from the center of the body
outward)
◦ Placenta, umbilical cord, and amniotic sac form
Stages of Prenatal Development (cont.)
Fetal stage
◦ Lasts from the eighth week of pregnancy until birth
◦ Week 20 is the age of viability; the fetus could survive if born
at this point with medical intervention
Stage Timing What’s happening
Germinal Conception to 2 weeks Rapid cell division; travel from fallopian tubes
into uterus; begins to implant into uterine wall
Embryonic 2–8 weeks Cells begin to specialize into organ systems
(organogenesis); placenta and umbilical cord
form between the embryo and mother
Fetal 9 weeks–birth Bone begins to form; features such as eyes,
fingers, and toes develop; reflexes develop;
near the end of the fetal stage, the fetus will
practice breathing, crying, swallowing, and
sucking its thumb
Embryonic period (in weeks) Fetal period (in weeks) Full term
3 4 5 7 8 12 20 36 38
6 Brain
Central
nervous Eye 16
system Heart Ear Palate Ear
Eye
Arm
Heart Leg Teeth External genitalia
Central nervous system
Heart
Arms
Eyes
Legs
Teeth
Palate
External genitalia
Ear
Period when major Period when minor defect or
abnormality occurs abnormality occurs
Maternal Age and Physical Characteristics
Women over age thirty-five: Down syndrome
Very young mothers, especially teens: low-birth-
weight infants, stillbirths, or problems during delivery
Prenatal Health Care
Adequate early prenatal care is critical to infant and
maternal health
Mothers who begin prenatal care early in pregnancy
have improved pregnancy and newborn outcomes,
including decreased risk of low birth weight and
preterm delivery
Key aspects of prenatal health
◦ Diet and nutrition
◦ Stress and health
Childbirth Settings and Methods
Hospital births
◦ 98.2 percent of all births in the United States occur in
hospitals under the supervision of a physician
Nonhospital settings
◦ Freestanding birth centers, home births
Prepared childbirth
◦ Lamaze method, Bradley method
Midwives and doulas
Problems during Labor and Delivery
Faulty power
◦ Induced labor
Faulty
passageway
◦ Placenta
accrete
spectrum
Faulty
passenger
◦ Breech
presentation
◦ Cephalopelvi
c
Birth and the Family
Some parents may experiences greater challenges
in caring for a new baby
◦ First-time parents
◦ Parents who lack economic resources, knowledge, and
social
and emotional support
◦ Adolescent parents, single parents, and parents who are
educationally and economically disadvantaged
For all parents, the arrival of a new baby brings many
changes, and it takes some time to adjust
Teratogens
A teratogen is an agent that can cause birth defects in a developing fetus.
1- Look up what specific problems are linked to
your assigned teratogen and be ready to report
them back to class.
2- Define teratogens and discuss whether or not
you believe that teratogens will cause more
birth defects in future generations or fewer
defects.
TERATOGENS
1. Luncheon meats Polina
2. Aspirin Elianna
3. Xrays Juliette
4. Pesticides Frank
5. Cleaning a litter box Chelsea D.
6. Lead Senaya
7. Diabetes Brianna
8. Lack of Folic acid Cassie
9. Rubella Rebecca
10. Microwave Selena
11. Mercury Chelsea H.
12. Caffeine Kayla
13. Alcohol Ashley
14. Tobacco Camille
15. Microwave Magdalena
16. Unpasteurized cheese Marian
17. Vitamin A Martine