Parenting: Prenatal Care and Birth Defects

1. Parenting: Prenatal Careand Birth Defects Objectives: TSWBAT Describe the importance of prenatal care. Identify the risks associated with pregnancy.

2. Prenatal Care • Health care you get while you are pregnant. • Early/regular prenatal care • Prenatal care includes: • Physical exams/Ultra sound • Nutrition • Monitoring of weight and health • Lab Tests • Calculation of due date

3. Prenatal Care Obstetrician (OB/GYN)- A medical doctor who specializesin management of pregnancy, labor, and birth. Certified Nurse Midwife – Advanced practice registered nurse who has specialized education and training in nursing and midwifery.

4. Healthy Pregnancy • A pregnant woman must be very careful about what substances she takes into her body. • Eat a well balanced diet (extra 300 calories) • Prenatal vitamins • Calcium • Protein • Iron • Vitamin A • Vitamin B complex • Folic Acid

5. Healthy Pregnancy cont. • Avoid substances that may be dangerous; • Cigarettes • Accounts for 30% of low birth weight babies; 14% of premature births & 10% of infant deaths • Alcohol • Drugs (including medications)

6. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Condition that results from alcohol exposure during pregnancy Problems that may be caused by FAS include physical deformities, mental retardation, learning disorders, vision difficulties and behavioral problems (varies from child to child). There is no amount of alcohol that’s known to be safe to consume during pregnancy.

7. Healthy Pregnancy cont. Stay active Get plenty of rest Minimize stress Avoid x-rays

8. Complications – Miscarriage Spontaneous loss of a fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy Most miscarriages are caused by chromosome problems that make it impossible for the baby to develop Other causes – drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, exposure to toxins, infection, obesity, etc.

9. Complications – Premature Birth A birth that is at least 3 weeks before a baby’s due date (less than 37 weeks) 1 out of every 9 babies are born premature each year in the US The earlier a baby is born, the more severe his or her health problems are likely to be and may face lifelong problems; intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, breathing and respiratory problems, visual problems, hearing loss, and feeding or digestive problems.

10. Stages of Infancy and Childhood Infancy – birth to 12 months Fastest growth Time of learning (eat, sit, crawl, walk) Early childhood – ages 1 – 3 Sense of autonomy – confidence that a person can control his or her own body Middle childhood – ages 4-6 Initiate play; recognize emotions Late childhood – ages 7-12 Puberty may begin; school is important ***Most crucial years in a child’s overall development are 0-3 years

11. Child Care Latch-Key Children & Dual Working Parents A latchkey childis a child who returns from school to an empty home because his or her parent or parents are away at work, or a child who is often left at home with little or no parental supervision.