Developmental Psychology

With the advances of modern medicine, a lot of genetic abnormalities can be detected by doctors and blood tests. The modernization of medicine can also potentially trace to carriers of certain abnormalities. When tests come back positive for genetic diseases, usually a genetics counselor is called in, specifically to pregnant women and their spouses. During conception the age a mother is when she does conceive is also a contributing factor to genetic problems. The older a woman is when she gets pregnant, the higher the chance their children will have genetic abnormalities present. 3.3 Prenatal Development Now that we have discussed some genetics, let’s move on to the four stages of prenatal development. There are four stages to prenatal development. • Germinal Stage : This occurs during the first 14 days. This is where the zygote will travel down the fallopian tube and will in implant itself on the uterine wall. The zygote will also divide and become different, becoming a more specialized cell. • Embryonic Stage : This happens during the 3 rd and 8 th week of pregnancy or gestation. This is when the placenta develops, along with the head beginning to form and take shape. The cardiovascular system, which was underdeveloped begins to function. • Cephalocaudal & Proximodistal Stage : During this stage, head and toe development begins to occur along with the spine and extremities. There are 3 tissue layers that develop during this stage: o Ectoderm : Outer layer o Mesoderm : Middle layers o Endoderm : Inner layers Fetal membranes begin to form, which include the chorion and amnion. The umbilical cord also begins to form during this stage. • Fetal Stage : This is the last stage before a mother gives birth. This is the stage that starts at 9 weeks and goes all the way through the time for birth. During this stage there is a distinguished humanoid appearance and the fetus begins to move around in the woman’s belly. The organs in the fetus begin to function typically by the end of the 7 th month. Around 24 weeks the fetus’s chance of survival outside the womb increase and is considered viable . 3.4 Teratogens What exactly are teratogens? They are substances such as food, alcohol, and drugs that may contribute or cause birth defects. Not only to teratogens contribute or cause birth defects, there can also be environmental triggers that may cause issues such as a mother not eating right. Below is a selective sample of the more serious teratogens.

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