Chapter 3: Prenatal Development and Birth

1. Chapter 3: Prenatal Development and Birth Teratogens: Hazardous to the Baby’s Health By Kati Tumaneng (for Drs. Cook & Cook)

2. Teratogens: Hazardous to the Baby’s Health • Most defects occur from unknown causes. • 1/3 related to environmental factors during prenatal development. • Fetus buffered but not fully protected. • Teratogen – Any substance or condition that might disrupt embryonic development and cause birth defects. More info on birth defects from March of Dimes: www.modimes.org/

3. Alcohol • 19% pregnant women drink alcohol during pregnancy. • Can cause physical deformities, growth retardation, damage to the central nervous system, and miscarriage and fetal death. • Children at greater risk for being impulsive, easily distracted, and hyperactive; having retarded brain growth and lowered IQ. • Leading non-genetic cause of mental retardation in US.

4. Alcohol • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) – Syndrome of birth defects cause by prenatal exposure to alcohol. Includes growth deficiencies, head and facial malformations, and central nervous system dysfunction. Fully preventable. • Fetal Alcohol Effects – Individual or multiple birth defects caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol. Lowered IQ, hyperactivity, growth deficiencies, head and facial malformations, and central nervous system dysfunction. • There is no safe level of alcohol consumption.

5. Alcohol Child with FAS

6. Cocaine • 1 in every 100 pregnant women use cocaine; may be underreported. • Fetal exposure retards growth, can cause preterm birth, and can cause malformation in baby’s brain, intestines, and genital-urinary tract; hemorrhage, lesions, and swelling in brain. • Increased irritability, muscle tremors, rigidity, decreased spontaneous movement; impaired sensory function, decreased visual attention, and trouble regulating their own state of arousal.

7. Cocaine

8. Cigarette Smoking • 12 percent of pregnant women smoke. • 450 different harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke. • Mother and baby gain less weight; baby more likely to be premature and have health complication. • More likely to be hyperactive, have short attention span, and score lower in reading, spelling, and math. • Increase risk for spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, and neonatal deaths. Quit Smoking: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/tobac-tabac/index_e.html

9. Maternal Diseases • Infectious diseases carried by mother, may endanger the fetus. • May cause birth defects or death. • Herpes Simplex Virus • May be transmitted at birth if mother is showing symptoms. • Premature, microcephaly, eye disorders, and mental retardation. • Cytomegalovirus dangerous, especially during weeks 2-8. STD’s: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/stds/

10. Maternal Diseases • Syphilis • 1 in every 10,000 babies born with Syphilis. • Birth defects include deafness, malformations of teeth and bones, facial deformities, excess fluid in the brain, and mental retardation. • Prompt treatment of mother may protect baby. • HIV/AIDS • Effects not yet clear but may include growth retardation and head and facial deformities. • Baby usually contracts at or near delivery; infection risk increases with breast-feeding.

11. Maternal Age • 900,000 teenagers become pregnant in US each year; nearly ¼ of all births. • Risk of low birth weight is highest in mothers under 15 and over 45. • Young mothers not socially and cognitively mature enough to cope with stress in early pregnancy. • Factors associated with teenage pregnancy: • Low income, poor education, social isolation, drug and alcohol use, lack of early prenatal care.

12. Maternal Age

13. Maternal Age • Women in late 30’s and into 40’s have greater risk of prematurity, fetal death, and complications during birth. • Increased risk of Down Syndrome. • Even with increased risk, majority of pregnancies are normal.

14. Critical Periods • Segments of time when structures are first. forming and are most vulnerable to damage. • Developing organism is at greatest risk for abnormalities during the Embryonic stage (weeks 3-8). • Women not often sure of pregnancy before 8th week. • Lifestyle changes then may be too late.

15. Critical Periods

16. What about Fathers? • When toxic substances affect sperm cells, the damaged sperm usually do not survive journey to the egg. • Cocaine may disrupt development of zygote. • Most birth defects result from mother’s exposure to toxins. • Men should consider how they contribute to prenatal hazards. • Healthy pregnancy is the responsibility of both men and women.

17. Child on Slide 5: from Cook, J. L., & Cook, G. (2005). Child development: Principles and perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 97). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. • Infant on Slide 7: from Cook, J. L., & Cook, G. (2005). Child development: Principles and perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 98). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. • Chart on Slide 12: from Cook, J. L., & Cook, G. (2005). Child development: Principles and perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 101). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. • Chart on Slide 15: from Cook, J. L., & Cook, G. (2005). Child development: Principles and perspectives (1st ed.) (p. 103). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. • All images retrieved from Microsoft PowerPoint Clip Art.