Chapter 5-3 & 5-4Class Notes

Child Development

List lifestyle choices that a pregnant woman can make to help the fetus: Regular prenatal check-ups Eat a balance diet Get adequate rest

Lifestyle Choices (Cont.)

Avoid the use of alcohol, smoking, and illegal drugs

Exercise daily Avoid caffeine and seafood Avoid exposure to radiation (x-

rays)

What are the four main causes of birth defects?

Environmental Hereditary Errors in chromosomes Interaction of heredity and

environment

What are environmental causes?

Poor prenatal diet Harmful substances during

pregnancy (including smoking, alcohol, etc.)

Medication harmful to baby

What are hereditary causes?

Defective genes including one dominant or two recessive

What are errors in chromosomes?

Too many or too few chromosomes in the baby’s cells (Example: Down’s syndrome)

What birth defects are caused by interaction of heredity & environment?

Examples include spina bifida or cleft palate.

TERMS

folic acid – nutrient that can be taken during pregnancy to prevent spina bifida

caffeine – may cause miscarriage, low birth weight, or learning disabilities

TERMS (Cont.)

nicotine – can cause damage to lungs, low birth weight, prematurity, and various respiration problems

sickle cell anemia – blood disorder most common in families of African American descent

TERMS (Cont.)

Rubella – also known as German measles; not harmful to mother but can cause physical abnormalities in the baby

Down Syndrome – caused by having 47 instead of 46 chromosomes; highest risk for mothers older than 35

TERMS (Cont.)

Tay-Sachs disease – most common in families of Jewish descent

miscarriage – death of a fetus BEFORE 20 weeks

stillbirth – death of a developing baby AFTER 20 weeks