1. What developments occur during the germinal period?
The germinal stage starts as soon as the child is concieved. The sperm and egg cell unite in one of the two fallopian tubes. Then the zygote moves toward the uterus and 24 to 36 hours after conception cell division begins. First it divides into two cells, then into four, eight, sixteen, and so on. Once the eight cell point has been reached, the cells begin to differentiate and take on certain characteristics that will determine the type of cells they will become. The outer cells eventually become the placenta while the inner cells form the embryo.Cell division continues until the cells t develop into a blastocyst. Lastly, the blastocyst arrives at the uterus and attached to the uterine wall.
http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/prenataldevelop.htm
2. What major developments occur during the period of the embryo?
This stage begins the third week after conception.The embryo divides into three layers which will become an important body system. 22 days after conception, the neural tube forms. At the fourth week, the head begins to form quickly followed by the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. During the fifth week arm and leg buds appear. The cardiovascular system is where the earliest activity begins as the blood vessel that will become the heart start to pulse.By the eighth week the baby has all of its basic organs except the sex.
http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/prenataldevelop.htm
3. What major developments occur during the period of the fetus?
This stage begins during the ninth week and lasts until birth. The neural tube develops into the brain and spinal cord and neurons form and sex organs begin to appear during the third month. The end of the third month also marks the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. During the second trimester the heartbeat grows stronger and other body systems become further developed. Finger nails and hair become present. The fetus grows about six times in size and the brain and central nervous system become responsive. During period from seven months until birth, the fetus continues to develop, put on weight, and prepare for life outside the womb and the lungs begin expanding.
http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/prenataldevelop.htm
4. How and when does the fetus respond to the outside world?
From at least the 23rd week on the fetus's hearing is developed enough to enable it to respond to outside noise. From at least six months of pregnancy on the preborn baby is aware of and influenced by what's going on in the outside world. They can perceive different tastes and sights. Add sweetener to the amniotic fluid and the fetus doubles his rate of swallowing but add a sour substance and baby slows his swallowing. As early as the fourth month baby frowns, squints, and grimaces in response to experimentally produced outside stimuli. At five months the fetus can startle in response to a light blinking at mother's abdomen. This is a result of the developed cortex.
http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/pregnancy-childbirth/fourth-month/7-ways-bond-your-preborn-baby
5. What are the factors that make a fetus more likely to survive if born at 38 Weeks rather than at 24?
In hospitals, 24 weeks is the cutoff for when doctors will use intensive medical intervention to attempt to save the life of a baby born prematurely. A baby born at 24 weeks would require a lot of intervention, potentially including mechanical ventilation and other treatments followed by a long stay in a NICU. Odds of survival increase as the pregnancy progresses. Low birth weight, placental abruption, and numerous developmental issues, as the baby has not yet finished growing, are all factors. At 24 weeks the baby has a 39% chance of surviving while a baby at 34 has almost the same chance as a full term baby.
http://miscarriage.about.com/od/pregnancyafterloss/a/prematurebirth.htm
6. What public health measures can prevent cases of rubella and pediatric AIDS?
If you are of child bearing age but not pregnant, visit your doctor to have a blood test to ensure you are immune to rubella. If you are not immune, get your MMR vaccine and wait at least one month before trying to become pregnant. For AIDS 90 percent of HIV infections in children result from mother-to-child transmission, where the virus is passed from a mother living with HIV to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. The most effective method for preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission is by initiating lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) as early as possible in treatment-eligible HIV-positive pregnant women. In cases where a woman is not eligible for ART or ART is not available, a shorter, simplified course of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs can be given to the mother, starting early in pregnancy, and to her infant immediately following delivery.
7. What are some of the effects of drug abuse on the fetus?
Drugs can cause a baby to be born too small, too soon, or to have withdrawal symptoms, birth defects or learning and behavioral problems. Many pregnant women who use illicit drugs also use alcohol and tobacco, which also pose risks to unborn babies. Pregnant women who use drugs engage in other unhealthy behaviors that place their pregnancy at risk, such as having extremely poor nutrition or developing STI’s.
8. What are the causes & consequences of low birth weight?
Low birth weight is the result of either the result of preterm birth, or of the infant being small for gestational age, or both. Risk factors in the mother that contribute to low birth weight include young ages, multiple pregnancies, previous LBW infants, poor nutrition, heart disease or hypertension, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, and insufficient prenatal care. Environmental factors include, smoking, lead exposure, and other types of air pollutions. The results are often a baby with fetal and perinatal mortality and morbidity, inhibited growth and cognitive development, and chronic diseases later in life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_birth_weight.
9. What is the relationship among the newborn's appearance, the Apgar scale, & health?
The APGAR scale is referred to as an acronym for: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration. Five factors are used to evaluate the baby's condition and each factor is scored on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score: appearance, pulse, grimace response, activity and muscle tone, respiration. Doctors add these five factors together to calculate the Apgar score with 10 being the highest.
10. What are advantages & disadvantages of the intensive-care nursery?
The advantage of the intensive care nursery is that babies are closely monitored by highly trained neonatologists, pediatricians and nurses around the clock with advanced technology. A disadvantage is that it is more expensive and for parents it is hard to see their babies.
11. How is the formation of the parent-infant bond different in animals & in humans?
In humans bonding occurs from when the baby is in the womb and on. Humans care for their young much longer than other animals and remain with them for the longest out of all of the other animals. It is instinctual for animals to give birth and send their children off. Humans are able to form stronger bonds by remaining contact with the parents over long periods of time.
This stage begins the third week after conception.The embryo divides into three layers which will become an important body system. 22 days after conception, the neural tube forms. At the fourth week, the head begins to form quickly followed by the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. During the fifth week arm and leg buds appear. The cardiovascular system is where the earliest activity begins as the blood vessel that will become the heart start to pulse.By the eighth week the baby has all of its basic organs except the sex.
This stage begins during the ninth week and lasts until birth. The neural tube develops into the brain and spinal cord and neurons form and sex organs begin to appear during the third month. The end of the third month also marks the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. During the second trimester the heartbeat grows stronger and other body systems become further developed. Finger nails and hair become present. The fetus grows about six times in size and the brain and central nervous system become responsive. During period from seven months until birth, the fetus continues to develop, put on weight, and prepare for life outside the womb and the lungs begin expanding.
From at least the 23rd week on the fetus's hearing is developed enough to enable it to respond to outside noise. From at least six months of pregnancy on the preborn baby is aware of and influenced by what's going on in the outside world. They can perceive different tastes and sights. Add sweetener to the amniotic fluid and the fetus doubles his rate of swallowing but add a sour substance and baby slows his swallowing. As early as the fourth month baby frowns, squints, and grimaces in response to experimentally produced outside stimuli. At five months the fetus can startle in response to a light blinking at mother's abdomen. This is a result of the developed cortex.
In hospitals, 24 weeks is the cutoff for when doctors will use intensive medical intervention to attempt to save the life of a baby born prematurely. A baby born at 24 weeks would require a lot of intervention, potentially including mechanical ventilation and other treatments followed by a long stay in a NICU. Odds of survival increase as the pregnancy progresses. Low birth weight, placental abruption, and numerous developmental issues, as the baby has not yet finished growing, are all factors. At 24 weeks the baby has a 39% chance of surviving while a baby at 34 has almost the same chance as a full term baby.
If you are of child bearing age but not pregnant, visit your doctor to have a blood test to ensure you are immune to rubella. If you are not immune, get your MMR vaccine and wait at least one month before trying to become pregnant. For AIDS 90 percent of HIV infections in children result from mother-to-child transmission, where the virus is passed from a mother living with HIV to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. The most effective method for preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission is by initiating lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) as early as possible in treatment-eligible HIV-positive pregnant women. In cases where a woman is not eligible for ART or ART is not available, a shorter, simplified course of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs can be given to the mother, starting early in pregnancy, and to her infant immediately following delivery.
Drugs can cause a baby to be born too small, too soon, or to have withdrawal symptoms, birth defects or learning and behavioral problems. Many pregnant women who use illicit drugs also use alcohol and tobacco, which also pose risks to unborn babies. Pregnant women who use drugs engage in other unhealthy behaviors that place their pregnancy at risk, such as having extremely poor nutrition or developing STI’s.
Low birth weight is the result of either the result of preterm birth, or of the infant being small for gestational age, or both. Risk factors in the mother that contribute to low birth weight include young ages, multiple pregnancies, previous LBW infants, poor nutrition, heart disease or hypertension, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, and insufficient prenatal care. Environmental factors include, smoking, lead exposure, and other types of air pollutions. The results are often a baby with fetal and perinatal mortality and morbidity, inhibited growth and cognitive development, and chronic diseases later in life.
The advantage of the intensive care nursery is that babies are closely monitored by highly trained neonatologists, pediatricians and nurses around the clock with advanced technology. A disadvantage is that it is more expensive and for parents it is hard to see their babies.
