Prenatal Development
For decades, research has always shown interest in the topic of prenatal development. Generally, this topic is complex in nature and presents various stages and events that need to fully be understood to help expecting mothers stay safe through their periods of pregnancy. For this reason, studies have been conducted in the medical field, behavioral science, and neuroscience to get relevant information. Based on this insight, this paper seeks to explain terms associated with prenatal development.
The development of an embryo is the starting point of prenatal development. However, all through the development process, mistakes occur; detective genes also interrupt the development process in various ways that result in malfunctions and sometimes death. Besides, external factors are also responsible, which brings us to the concept of “teratology.” Teratology is defined as a set of factors that lead to malformation, both by genes and environmental agents. Its origin is derived from the Greeks with “tera” meaning “monster,” a name used in the ancient times to refer to babies born with severe malformation considered portents. Globally, various congenital disabilities have become identified as common among infants, and these include; defects in the heart formation, with 15% of infants identified. A heart defect is detected by listening to the child’s heart in search of a heart murmur. Two extra or fewer toes and fingers (polydactyly) are clearly seen immediately after birth. In most cases, the occurrence of such defects varies based on race and ethnic affiliation. Nevertheless, once malformations amongst infants are identified, the apparent cause is established, followed by diagnosing.
Concerning the timeline of significant events and stages during prenatal development, three sequential stages exist, commonly known as trimesters. These include the first, second, and third, with each of them lasting three months. Apart from using trimesters, three development periods can also be used, such as the period of the egg, embryo, and that of the fetus. For the successful completion of these three stages, the role of the placenta is very vital. Noted in the reading, the placenta is the conduit, anchor, and pregnancy’s main controller. It stands as the main target for toxicant actions. Its main function is protecting the embryo and fetus from against insult; however, apart from its function, it also has various other roles it plays during prenatal development.
To conclude on this topic of prenatal development, it is relevant to provide knowledge on factors that cause long term implications on behavior and the brain. Fatal injuries are identified as one of the factors responsible for the fetus’s malformation, most especially in terms of structural term defects. The use of drugs by expectant mothers is another problematic factor, mostly if tobacco and alcohol are the drugs consumed. In addition to this are other behaviors considered minor by parents, such as diet, exercise, depression, and residence environment.
Works Cited
Alwan, S., et al. “Teratology Society, Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) Neurobehavioral Teratology Society (NBTS).” Teratology Primer, 2010.