MODULE

10
PRE-NATAL DEVELOPMENT

I. INTRODUCTION
All the developmental theories which were lengthily discussed in your child and
adolescent subject dwelt on the developmental process after birth. None of them was
concerned with what development went on before birth. To make the description of
human development complete, it may be good to understand the beginnings of the child
and the adolescent, the learners. This is the concern of this module pre-natal or antenatal
development.

II. OBJECTIVES
 Trace the course of the pre-natal developmental process that you went through; and
 Explain the most common hazards to pre-natal development.

III. LEARNING ACTIVITIES

A. ENGAGE
Read the article “Life Before Birth.”

Life Before Birth

The development of human life in the womb was once a mystery, but science and
medicine have changed that. Abortion advocates still try to dehumanize the developing
baby in the womb by speaking of the child as "a blob of tissue" or "uterine contents.”
But ultrasound images, prenatal surgery and other advances in obstetrics are
shattering the blob-of-tissue myth.

Dr. Paul Rockwell, a New York physician, made these profound observations after
his amazing encounter with a tiny unborn baby boy: "Eleven years ago while I was
giving an anesthetic for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy (at two months gestation), I
was handed what I believe was the smallest living human ever seen. The embryo sac
was intact and transparent. Within the sac was a tiny human male swimming
extremely vigorously in the amniotic fluid, while attached to the wall by the umbilical
cord."

This tiny human was perfectly developed, with long, tapering fingers, feet and
toes. It was transparent, as regards the skin, and the delicate arteries and veins were
prominent to the ends of the fingers. "The baby was extremely alive and swam about
the sac approximately one time per second, with a natural swimmer s stroke. This tiny
human did not look at all like the photos and drawings and models of 'embryos' which
I have seen, nor did it look like a few embryos I have been able to observe since then,
obviously because this one was alive!"
 "When the sac was opened, the tiny human immediately lost its life and took on
the appearance of what is accepted as the appearance of an embryo at this stage
(blunt extremities, etc.)

"It is my opinion that if the lawmakers and people realize that this very vigorous
life is present, it is possible that abortion would be found more objectionable than
euthanasia."

The point at which Dr. Rockwell witnessed this unborn baby - eight weeks after
conception - is during the period that a majority of abortionists describe as most
desirable for performing an abortion.
Source: http://www.mccl.org/Document.Doc?id-159

B. EXPLORE
What are your feelings and reactions about what you read? Elaborate your answer.
 C. EXPLAIN
THE STAGES OF PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
Pre-natal development is divided into three (3) periods- GERMINAL,
EMBRYONIC and FETAL
1. Germinal Period (First 2 weeks after conception)
This includes the a) creation of the zygote, b) continued cell division and c) the
attachment of the zygote to the uterine wall.
In the germinal period, the differentiation of cells already begins as inner and
outer layers of the organism are formed. The blastocyst, the inner layer of cells that
develops during the germinal period, develops later into the embryo. The trophoblast,
the outer layer of cells that develops also during the germinal period, later provides
nutrition and support for the embryo (Nelson, Textbook of Pediatrics, 17th ed., 2004).

2. Embryonic Period (2-8 weeks after conception)

In this stage, the name of the mass cells, zygote, become embryo. The
following developments take place:
a) cell differentiation intensifies;
b) life-support systems for the embryo develop and;
c) organs appear
As the zygote gets attached to the wall of the uterus, two layers of cells are
formed. The embryo's endoderm, the inner layer of cells, develops into the digestive
and respiratory systems. The outer layer of cells is divided into two parts  the
ectoderm and the mesoderm. The ectoderm is the outermost layer which becomes
the nervous system, sensory receptors (eyes, ears, nose) and skin parts (nails, hair).
The mesoderm is the middle layer which becomes the circulatory, skeletal, muscular,
excretory and reproductive systems. This process of organ formation during the first
two months of pre- natal development is called organogenesis.
As the three layers of the embryo form, the support systems for the embryo
develop rapidly. These life-support systems are the placenta, the umbilical cord and
the amnion. The placenta is a life-support system that consists of a disk-shaped group
of tissues in which small blood vessels from the mother and the offspring intertwine but
do not join. The umbilical cord contains two arteries and one vein that connects the
baby to the placenta. The amnion is a bag or an envelope that contains a clear fluid in
which the developing embryo floats. All these embryo life-support systems develop from
the fertilized egg and not from the mother's body.

3. Fetal Period (2 months to 7 months after conception)

Growth and development continue dramatically during this period. The details of
the developmental process are as follows (Santrock, 2002):
a) 3 months after conception - fetus is about 3 inches long and weighs about 1
ounce; fetus has become active, moves its arms and legs, opens and closes its mouth,
and moves its head; the face, forehead, eyelids, nose, chin can now be distinguished
and also the upper arms, lower arms, hands, and lower limbs; the genitals can now be
identified as male or female.
 b) 4 months after conception - fetus is about 6 inches long and weighs 4 to 7
ounces, growth spurt occurs in the body's lower parts; pre-natal reflexes are stronger;
mother feels arm and leg movements for the first time.
c) 5 months after conception - fetus is about 12 inches long; weighs close to a
pound; structures of the skin (fingernails, toenails) have formed; fetus is more active.
d) 6 months after conception - fetus is about 14 inches long and weighs one and
half pound; eyes and eyelids are completely formed; fine layer of head covers the head;
grasping reflex is present and irregular movements occur.
e) 7 months after conception - fetus is about 16 inches long and weighs 3 pounds
f) 8 and 9 months after conception - fetus grows longer and gains substantial
weight, about 4 pounds

D. ELABORATE
Teratology and Hazards to Prenatal Development
Teratology is the field that investigates the causes of congenital (birth) defects.
A teratogen is that which causes birth defects. It comes from the Greek word “tera”
which means "monster".
Below are clusters of hazards to pre-natal development:
1. Prescription and nonprescription drugs
These include prescription as well as non-prescription drugs. Antibiotic is an
example of a prescription drug that can be harmful. Examples of harmful
nonprescription drugs are diet pills, aspirin, and coffee.
2. Psychoactive drugs
These include nicotine, caffeine and illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine
and heroin. Researchers found that pregnant women who drank more caffeinated
coffee were more likely to have preterm delivering and newborns with lower
birthweight compared to their counterparts who did not drink caffeinated coffee
(Eskanazi et al, 1999 quoted by Santrock, 2002).
Heavy drinking by pregnant women results to the so called fetal alcohol
syndrome (FAS) which is a cluster of abnormalities that appears in the children of
mothers who drink alcohol heavily during pregnancy. These abnormalities include
facial deformities and defective limbs, face and heart (Santrock, 2002). Most of
these children are below average in intelligence and some are mentally retarded
(Olson, 2000 and Burgess, 1996 quoted by Santrock, 2002).
Fetal and neonatal deaths are higher among smoking mothers There are also
higher incidences of preterm births and lower birthweights among children with
smoking mothers (Wang, et al, 2000 quoted by Santrock, 2002). On the average,
maternal heroin addicts deliver smaller than average size babies with more
incidence of toxemia, premature separation of placenta, retained placenta,
hemorrhaging after birth, and breech deliveries. (http://www.
yale.cdu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1980/5/80.05.03.x.html#f)

3. Environmental hazards
These include radiation in jobsites and X-rays, environmental pollutants, toxic
wastes, and prolonged exposure to heat in saunas and bath tubs. Research found
that chromosomal abnormalities are higher among the offspring of fathers exposed
to high levels of radiation in their occupations (Schrag and Dixon, 1985 cited by
 Santrock, 2002). Radiation from X-rays also can affect the developing embryo and
fetus, with the most dangerous time being the first several weeks after conception
when women do not yet know that they are pregnant (Santrock, 2002). Researchers
found that toxic wastes such as carbon monoxide, mercury and lead caused defects
in animals exposed to high doses. For instance, early exposure to lead affects
children's mental development. (Markowits, 2000 cited by Santrock, 2002).
Remember the action of the U.S.A. for the children's toys with high lead content
manufactured in China?
Prolonged exposure of pregnant mothers to sauna or hot tubs raises the
mothers' body temperature creating fever that endangers the fetus. The high
temperature due to fever may interfere with cell division and may cause birth defects
or even fetal death if the fever occurs repeatedly for prolonged periods of time
(Santrock, 2002).

4. Other maternal factors such as Rubella (German Measles), syphilis,

genital herpes, AIDS, nutrition, high anxiety and stress, age, (too early or
too late, beyond 30)
A rubella (German measles) in 1964-65 resulted in 30,000 pre-natal and
neonatal (newborn) deaths and more than 20,000 affected infants who were born
with malformations, including mental retardation, blindnèss, deafness and heart
problems (Santrock, 2002).
Syphilis damages organs after they have formed. These damages include
eye lesions, which can cause blindness, and skin lesions. When syphilis is present at
birth, other problems involving the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract,
can develop.
About one-third of babies delivered through a herpes-infected birth canal
die; another one-fourth become brain-damaged.
A mother can infect her child in three ways; 1) during gestation across the
placenta, 2) during delivery through contact with maternal blood or fluids, and 3)
postpartum (after birth) through breastfeeding.
Studies show that increased stress during pregnancy leads to premature
birth and reduced birth weight. Other studies have shown that increased stress
during pregnancy is related to ADHD even schizophrenia later in life.
(familyanatomy.com/2009/04/20/the-effects-of-stress-during-pregnancy)
Admittedly, more research on the effects of emotional states and stress
needs to be conducted for more conclusive findings.
It is recognized that maternal malnutrition during pregnancy may result to
inadequate growth in the fetus. If a fetus does not receive enough nourishment, the
rate of cell division is seriously hampered. An extremely deprived fetus may have
20% fewer brain cells than normal. If an infant has been malnourished both in utero
and infancy, the brain may be as much as 60% smaller than that of the normal child.
(Vore, David. Prenatal Nutrition and Postnatal Intellectual Development, Merrill-
Palmer Quarterly, 1973, 19:253-260 cited in
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1980/5/80.05.03.x.ht ml#f)
Folic acid is necessary for pregnant mothers. Folic acid can reduce the risk
of having a baby with a serious birth defect of the brain and spinal cord, called the
'neural tube. A baby with spina bifida, the most common neural tube defect is born
 with a spine that is not closed. The exposed nerves are damaged, leaving the child
With varying degrees of paralysis and sometimes mental retardation.
(http://www.squidoo.com/folicacidpregnant)
As maternal age increases, the risks for numerical chromosomal
abnormalities increase. (http://en.wikipedia.org.wiki/Maternal_age effect)
The mortality rate of infants born to adolescent mothers is double that of
infants born to mothers in their twenties.
A baby with Down syndrome rarely is born to mother under age 30 but the
risk increases after the mother reaches 30. By age 40, the probability is slightly over
1 in. 100, and by age 50 it is almost 1 in 10. The risk is also higher before age 18.
(Santrock, 2002).

5. Paternal Factors
Fathers' exposure to lead, radiation, certain pesticides and petrochemicals
may cause abnormalities in sperm that lead to miscarriage or diseases such as
childhood cancer. As in the case of older mothers, older fathers also may place their
offspring at risk for certain defects. (Santrock, 2002)

E. EVALUATE
1. What are proofs that which is developing in mother’s womb is a living human
being?

2. Why are pregnant mothers advised not to smoke? Not to drink alcoholic drinks,
not to take in any medication without doctor’s advice? Explain your answer.