Infants and Children

Laura E. Berk 6th edition

Chapter 3

Prenatal Development

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Why Have Children?

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Relationship of Birth Order to
Intelligence

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Advantages and Disadvantages of
a One-Child Family

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American Mothers
Getting Older

Check to see if Figure 3.2

is updated

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Conception and Implantation

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Periods of Prenatal Development

Period Length Key Events

Zygote 2 weeks Fertilization
Implantation
Start of Placenta

Embryo 6 weeks Arms, legs, face, organs,

muscles all develop
Heart begins beating

Fetus 30 weeks “Growth and finishing”

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 The
Placenta
and
Umbilical
Cord

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 Discussion
Would you recommend that expectant
mothers provide their fetuses with certain
kinds of stimulation to enhance later
mental development? Why or why not?

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 Sensitive Periods in
Prenatal Development

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Prenatal Environmental Influences:
Teratogens
Teratogen—any environmental agent
that causes damage during
the prenatal period.
Dose
Heredity
Other negative influences
Age

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 Prenatal Development and
Later Health
Low Birth Weight
Greater chance of
– Heart Disease
– Stroke
– Diabetes
High Birth Weight
– Greater chance of breast cancer

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Relationship of Birth Weight to Breast
Cancer Risk in Adulthood

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 Teratogens

Drugs
– Prescription
– Nonprescription
– Illegal
Tobacco
Alcohol
Radiation
Pollution
Infectious Disease
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Can a Thalidomide-Like Tragedy
Occur Again?
Accutane—toxic to developing organisms
Efforts to control its damaging prenatal
risks include:
– Restriction of this and other drugs for the
treatment of severe conditions.
– Improved public and patient education.
– Interventions that promote widespread,
effective contraceptive use.

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 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder: Criteria for Diagnosis

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 The Effects of
Environmental Pollution
More than 75,000 chemicals are in
common use in the United States, and
many new pollutants are introduced each
year.
Many babies are “born polluted” by
chemicals that can impair development
and increase the chances of life-
threatening diseases and health problems
later on.

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 Effects of Some Infectious
Diseases During Pregnancy

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 Maternal Factors in
Healthy Prenatal Development
Exercise
Nutrition
Prevention and
Treatment
Emotional Stress
Rh Blood Factor
Age
Previous Births

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The Effects of Emotional Stress on
the Developing Fetus
Stress hormones cross the placenta, causing a
dramatic rise in fetal heart rate and activity.
Fetal neurological functioning can be
permanently altered.
Maternal emotional stress predicts anxiety, short
attention span, anger, aggression, and
overactivity among preschoolers and young
children above and beyond the impact of other
risk factors.
Stress-related prenatal complications can be
greatly reduced when mothers receive the
support of family members and friends.

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 Birth
Complications
Increase After
Age 40

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Expectant Mothers with
Late or No Prenatal Care

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Reasons Women Delay Prenatal
Care
Financial Hardship
Situational Barriers
Personal Barriers
Many are engaging in
high-risk behaviors
that they do not want
to reveal to health
care professionals.

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Culturally Sensitive Prenatal Care
Promotes Healthy Pregnancies
Low-SES ethnic
minority expectant
and new mothers
were not receiving
warm prenatal care
and expressed
difficulty getting
questions answered.
Group prenatal care
offers a sensitive
alternative.

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Preparing for Parenthood
Expectant Parents:
Seek information
Get to know the baby as a
reality
Look for models of effective
parenthood
Adjust couples’ relationships

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