Prenatal Development Quiz

Prenatal Development, Pregnancy, and Birth

• Prenatal development encompasses the germinal, embryonic, and fetal stages.
• The germinal stage lasts approximately 2 weeks after fertilization.
• Key structures formed during the germinal stage include the zygote, blastocyst, and the implantation of the embryo in the uterine wall, and the formation of the placenta.
• The embryonic stage spans from week 3 to week 8, covering the development of all major organs.
• The fetal stage lasts from week 9 to birth and is characterized by massive physical growth.
• The age of viability is the earliest point at which a baby can survive outside the womb, usually around 22-24 weeks.

The Reproductive Systems

• The female reproductive system includes the uterus, a pear-shaped muscular organ that houses the developing baby.
• The uterus is lined with the endometrium.
• The cervix is the narrow lower portion of the uterus.
• The fallopian tubes connect the ovaries to the uterus.
• The ovaries are almond-shaped organs containing ova (eggs).
• The ovum contains the mother's genetic material.
• The male reproductive system includes the testes, which manufacture sperm and the penis.

The Process of Fertilization

• Fertilization is the union of sperm and egg.
• Ovulation is the moment when an ovum is expelled from the ovary during a woman's monthly cycle.
• Testes manufacture sperm.

The Genetics of Fertilization

• Chromosomes are thread-like strands of DNA located in the nucleus of every cell.
• DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) contains the hereditary information of genes.
• Genes are segments of DNA that provide instructions for manufacturing specific proteins.

Chromosomes and DNA

• The cell contains chromosomes, which hold genes.
• Genes are segments of DNA, that contain instructions to build proteins
• Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.

Principles of Prenatal Development

• Proximodistal sequence: Growth occurs from the center of the body outwards.
• Cephalocaudal sequence: Growth occurs from the head down.
• Mass-to-specific sequence: Large structures develop before refined detailed structures.

Prenatal Development (part 3)

• The fetal stage happens from week 9 to birth. It involves massive physical growth, refinement of organs, and brain development.

The Expanding Brain

• Brain growth is evident in the stages of 4 months, 7 months, and 9 months.

Poised to Be Born

• The umbilical cord connects the fetus to the placenta.
• The amniotic sac is a membrane that contains and insulates the fetus.

Pregnancy (part 1)

• The first trimester is often associated with feeling tired and ill.
• Gestation is the period of pregnancy.
• A trimester is one of three 3-month segments of pregnancy.
• Hormones like progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin are important for pregnancy.
• Morning sickness and couvade are pregnancy symptoms.
• Miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy.

Pregnancy (part 2)

• The second trimester is often characterized by improved health and emotional bonding.
• Quickening is the earliest fetal movement felt by the mother.
• The third trimester deals with increased size and concerns related to impending birth.

Trending in Developmental Science: Decoding Pregnancy Distress

• Studies indicate that rates of certain mental illnesses (like obsessive-compulsive disorders) might increase in pregnancy, but overall anxiety and depression rates are not significantly different.

Threats for Outside: Teratogens

• Teratogens are substances that harm the developing fetus.
• Sensitive periods are times when body structures are most susceptible to teratogen harm.
• Birth defects are physical or neurological issues that occur during prenatal development.
• Teratogens can cause developmental problems in children.

Basic Teratogenic Principles

• Teratogens are most damaging during the embryonic stage.
• Damage from teratogens is unpredictable and influences fetal and maternal states.

The Teratogenic Impact of Medicines and Recreational Drugs

• Smoking (and vaping) can result in smaller or unhealthy babies and growth retardation.
• Alcohol can cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), a cluster of birth defects, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

The Long Shadow of Traumatic Life Events

• Prenatal trauma impacts the entire lifespan, including nutrient deprivation and increased stress, affecting growth, obesity, and potentially shorter lifespan.
• Fetal programming is a new discipline investigating life stress and its impact on prenatal development, birthweight, and prolonged physical issues in life.

Threats from Within: Chromosomal and Genetic Disorders (part 1)

• Chromosomal problems can occur with altered numbers of sex chromosomes.
• Outcomes are likely to manifest in learning impairments or infertility.
• Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal abnormality, resulting in intellectual disability and distinctive physical characteristics.

Threats from Within: Chromosomal and Genetic Disorders (part 2)

• Complex disorders are frequently caused by both nature and nurture.
• Single-gene disorders relate to issues passed from a single gene, which include dominant, recessive, and sex-linked inheritance.

Threats from Within: Chromosomal and Genetic Disorders (part 3)

• Dominant disorders involve inheriting one copy of a faulty gene.
• Huntington's disease is an example of a dominant disorder.
• Recessive disorders require inheriting two copies of faulty genes for manifestation.
• Examples of these disorders include cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and Tay-Sachs disease.
• Sex-linked disorders are carried on the X chromosome, typically affecting males more due to the presence of a single X-chromosome (in comparison to a double chromosome in females). Hemophilia is an example.

Interventions

• Genetic counseling, genetic testing, and a genetic counselor are offered to provide information and aid in managing genetic concerns.
• Prenatal testing such as MRIs, ultrasounds (including chorionic villus sampling), and amniocentesis help in assessing the developing fetus.

Infertility and New Reproductive Technologies (part 1)

• Infertility is the inability to conceive after a year of unprotected sex.
• Assisted reproductive technology (ART) includes treatments for infertility where an egg is fertilized outside the womb. - An example is in vitro fertilization.

Infertility and New Reproductive Technologies (part 2)

• Morning sickness, tiredness, and unpleasant symptoms are common occurrences during the first trimester.
• Physical changes during the second and third trimesters are significant.
• Diagnostic methods like ultrasounds and blood tests are common.

Infertility and New Reproductive Technologies (part 3)

• Infertility and the inability to conceive are common concerns discussed in relation to reproduction, assisted reproductive technology, and in vitro fertilization.

Infertility and New Reproductive Technologies (part 4)

• Age of the mother is a factor in ART success.

Birth

• Stages of birth include dilation and effacement, crowning, birth of the baby, expulsion of the placenta, and possible instances of breech birth.

Birth Options, Past and Present

• Historical birthing options range from the practices of midwives, to early 20th-century interventions to modern approaches and medical procedures.

The Newborn (part 1)

• The Apgar scale is used to assess newborn health.
• Low birth weight (LBW) and very low birth weight (VLBW) newborns need special care.
• Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) provide specialized care for at-risk infants.

The Newborn (part 2)

• Newborns, even those with low birth weight, can thrive with adequate medical care.
• Apgar scores show the health of the newborn.

Infant Mortality

• Infant mortality rates vary significantly between different countries and cultural contexts.

Test your knowledge on prenatal development stages, including the formation of the neural tube and placenta, as well as genetic inheritance patterns. This quiz covers key concepts such as the age of viability and different prenatal testing methods.