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Jimmy Delgado

CHILD 210

Sarah Davis

January 22, 2023

Dear Abby Letters

Chapter 03: Letter 1

Dear Fertility Frustration in Fremont

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude for writing to me and letting me know

your concerns. Perhaps you might think that you are the only person facing this problem, but you

are not alone in struggling with infertility in today's world because many people, regardless of

gender, struggle to conceive or carry pregnancies to term. On the National Institutes of Health

website, it is stated that "In the United States, around 9% of men and approximately 11% of

women of reproductive age have had fertility issues." (National Institutions of Health, paras. 1-3)

2018).

Infertility can also result from a variety of other health issues, including aging. However,

you and your husband may consider other possibilities that can help you conceive. For example,

there are certain fertility treatments that are used nowadays to help couples be able to have a

child; one of these treatments is known as Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), which can

be used to help your wife get pregnant. Another option that has been found to be useful, and one

of the most popular ways to improve a woman's chances of getting pregnant, is In Vitro

Fertilization (IVF). This method has developed into "a reasonably routine way to have children"
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during the past 50 years because sperm, eggs, and or womb were provided by others, it is also a

marvel that adults can have children who are not genetically related to them thanks to IVF

(Berger, 2021, p. 71). As you may notice, there are several solutions that you and your spouse

can consider planning and having a baby, so both of you may discuss this and also consult your

physician to understand what the best option for you would be.

I hope that I might have been of assistance.

Yours faithfully, Abby

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Chapter 03: Letter 2

Dear Future Geneticist

I appreciate receiving your letter and that you express your desire to know more about

genotype and phenotype. While phenotype capitalizes on an individual's characteristics and

outward look in the organism, the genotype is based on the genes in DNA that are responsible for

the distinctive features or traits in our genes. One important investigation on twins found that

despite sharing a womb and a diet, one of the twins was showing signs of malnutrition while the

other was well (Berger, 2021, p. 70). Important changes were discovered in each twin's

microbiota after analysis. Since only one suffered. As in your mother's situation, one twin is

entirely healthy and the other has diabetes, thus this informs us that one of the twins is likely to

have distinct health difficulties.

As you mentioned, indeed the environment can affect how our genes function. According

to one study, genes interact in a variety of ways from genotype to phenotype, sometimes

additively, with each gene contributing to the development, and other times in a dominant

recessive pattern. Sometimes this interaction is additive, with each gene contributing to the

development, and other times it is dominant recessive. Every adult is a carrier of hazardous

genes, the future reveals. Their expression is influenced by the other parent's genes as well as a

variety of environmental factors (Berger, 2021, p. 88). "Observable features of a person,

including appearance, personality, IQ, and any other traits", are referred to as phenotypes

(Berger, 2021, p75). The sort of environmental influence can alter the agency's role.

I hope this can help you understand more the function of phenotype and genotype.

Sincerely yours, Abby

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Chapter 04: Letter 1

Dear Hungry in Hibbard

Overall, thank you for reaching out to find out more about external factors that may affect

the development of your baby.

Some teratogens, according to research, "Cause damage only during a key period, which

may occur before a woman learns she is pregnant" (Berger, 2021, p. 102). As a result, even

before becoming pregnant, women need to be cautious about what they put in their bodies.

Women should abstain from narcotics, supplement a balanced diet with folic acid and iron, keep

up with their immunizations, and gain or decrease weight, if necessary, before becoming

pregnant (Berger, 2021, p. 102).

Before, people believed that the placenta shielded the fetus from any harm. Then, around

60 years ago, thalidomide, a drug used to treat cancer, and rubella, a virus-caused infectious

disease, demonstrated the opposite (Berger, 2021, p. 102). The germinal and embryonic phases of

the first trimester, however, are extremely important for pregnancy. Smoking is one activity that

should be avoided while pregnant because it may cause harm, not only to the mother but also to

the baby.

Unpasteurized juice, milk, and soft cheese are acceptable meal choices. While avoiding

eating raw fish and restricting seafood that is high in mercury, in other circumstances, meat and

other cold-cut meat should be heated until scorching hot, and eggs and red meat should be well

done. Prenatal vitamins could be beneficial for you and your pregnancy (Berger, 2021, p143).

I hope to have been of help.

Sincerely yours, Abby

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Chapter 04: Letter 2

Dear We all eat too much anyway

I appreciate your trust in this matter.

Low birthweight (LBW) is defined by the World Health Organization as less than 2,500

grams (5-12 pounds) (Berger, 2021, p. 107). A newborn's birth weight should be 7-12 pounds on

average. Your baby will be born prematurely, before the full term of 38 weeks, if your doctor

says you are at risk for a "low birth weight baby." The first factor, malnutrition, is the most

frequent cause of sluggish fetal growth because pregnant women who are underweight before

becoming pregnant and who eat poorly throughout pregnancy do not provide their unborn child

enough nourishment (Berger, 2021, p. 108). The second reason is that "psychoactive drugs,

including those that are legal like alcohol and cigarettes, diminish nutrition and birth weight"

(Berger, 2021, p. 108).

Multiple births make up the third factor. Twins typically deliver three weeks early and put

on weight more slowly throughout pregnancy. Being thin is not the source of the baby's

underweight condition; rather, the baby grows faster when the mother is healthy and well-

nourished. This is especially true if the woman lives in a polluted environment. The effects of

low birth weight have an impact on every developmental milestone, including smiling, holding a

bottle, walking, and talking, even if obesity is a concern in both kids and adults. It is crucial that

you stay healthy and fed in order for your baby to develop normally.

I hope that this may have been of assistance,

Faithfully yours, Abby

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References

Berger, K. S. (2020). Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence (12th Edition).

Macmillan Higher Education.

National Institutes of Health. (2018, August 2). How common is infertility?

https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility/conditioninfo/common

How common is infertility?

(2018, February 8).
Http://Www.nichd.nih.gov/.
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/
health/topics/infertility/
conditioninfo/commo