Rowela Javier, MSPsy

How life begins….

New life begins with the union of a male sex

cell and a female sex cell. These sex cells are
developed in the reproductive organs, the Gonads.

Male sex cells - spermatozoa (produced in the

testes)
Female sex cells – ova (produced in the
ovaries)
 Importance of Conception
1. Hereditary Endowment - a quality or ability
possessed or
inherited by the individual

2. Sex – male or female

3. Number of Offspring – singletons or multiple

births

4. Ordinal Position - firstborns, middle-borns, last-

Prenatal Development
o It constitutes the many changes that transform
the fertilized egg into a newborn human. It begins
when a sperm successfully fertilizes an egg in the
process of fertilization.
o Fertilization begins when sperm cells burrow their
way through the outer layers of an egg cell.
o Prenatal development is divided into three
periods:
1. the period of the zygote (Germinal)
2. the period of the embryo (Emrbyonic)
3. the period of the fetus (Fetal)
 Periods of Prenatal Development
1. Period of the Zygote
(fertilization to the end of the second week)
o The teaspoon or so of seminal fluid produced during a fertile male’s
ejaculation contains from 200 to 500 million sperm.
o Of the sperm released into the vagina, only a few hundred will actually
complete the 6- or 7-inch journey to the fallopian tubes. If an egg is present in
the fallopian tube, many sperm will simultaneously begin to burrow their
way through the cluster of nurturing cells that surround the egg.
o When one sperm finally penetrates the cellular wall of the egg, chemical
changes occur in the wall immediately, blocking out all other sperm. Then the
nuclei of the egg and sperm fuse, and the two independent sets of 23
chromosomes are interchanged.
 Periods of Prenatal Development
1. Period of the Zygote (fertilization to the end of the second week)
This period begins with fertilization and ends when the
zygote implants itself in the wall of the uterus.
o During these 2 weeks, the zygote grows rapidly through cell
division.
o The zygote travels down the Fallopian tube toward the
uterus. Within hours, the zygote divides for the first time; it
then continues to do so every 12 hours.
o After 4 days, the zygote includes about 100 cells.
o By the end of the 1st week, the zygote reaches the uterus.
 Periods of Prenatal Development
1. Period of the Zygote (fertilization to the end of the second week)
 Periods of Prenatal Development
1. Period of the Zygote (fertilization to the end of the second week)
o By the end of the 1st week, the zygote reaches the uterus. The
next step is implantation wherein the zygote burrows into the
uterine wall and establishes connections with a woman’s
blood vessels.
o The implanted zygote is less than a
millimeter in diameter, yet its cells have
already begun to differentiate. A small
cluster of cells near the center of the
zygote, the germ disc, will eventually
develop into the baby.
 Periods of Prenatal Development
1. Period of the Zygote (fertilization to the end of the second week)
o The other cells are destined to become structures
that support, nourish, and protect the developing
organism.
o For example, the layer of cells closest to the uterus
will become the placenta, a structure through which
nutrients and wastes are exchanged between the
mother and the developing organism.
Periods of Prenatal Development
1. Germinal Period (Weeks 1-2)
 Periods of Prenatal Development
2. Period of the Embryo(Weeks 3-8)
o Once the zygote is completely embedded in
the uterine wall, it is called an embryo.
 Periods of Prenatal Development
2. Period of the Embryo (Weeks 3-8)
o During the period of the embryo, body structures and
internal organs develop. At the beginning of this period,
three layers begin to form in the embryo.
1. The outer layer or ectoderm
becomes hair, the outer layer of
skin, and the nervous system;
2. The middle layer or mesoderm
forms muscles, bones, and the
circulatory system
3. The inner layer or endoderm forms
the digestive system and the lungs.
Periods of Prenatal Development
2. Period of the Embryo (Weeks 3-8)
o The brain and the nervous system are developing rapidly,
and the heart has been beating for nearly a month.
o Most of the organs found in a mature human are in
place, in some form
o (The sex organs are a notable exception.) Yet because it
is only an inch long and weighs but a fraction of an
ounce, the embryo is much too small for the mother to
feel its presence.
Periods of Prenatal Development
2. Period of the Embryo (Weeks 3-8)
o Embryo’s environment:
o The embryo rests in a
sac called the amnion,
which is filled with
amniotic fluid that
cushions the embryo
and maintains a
constant temperature.
o The embryo is linked to
the mother via two
structures, the placenta
and the umbilical cord.
Periods of Prenatal Development
2. Period of the Embryo (Weeks 3-8)
o Embryo’s environment:
o The umbilical cord
houses blood vessels that
join the embryo to the
placenta. In the
placenta, the blood
vessels from the
umbilical cord run close
to the mother’s blood
vessels but aren’t
actually connected to
them.
Periods of Prenatal Development
2. Period of the Embryo (Weeks 3-8)
o Two important growth principles:
1. Cephalocaudal Principle
• The head develops before the rest of the
body or from the head to the base of the
spine.
2. Proximodistal Principle
• Growth of parts near the center of the body
before those that are more distant.
• arms and legs develop before hands and
feet.
✓ Growth after birth also follows these principles.
Periods of Prenatal Development
3. Period of the Fetus (Weeks 9-38)
o During this period, the baby-to-be becomes much larger
and its bodily systems begin to work.
o At the beginning of this period, the fetus weighs less than
an ounce. At about 4 months, the fetus weighs roughly 4
to 8 ounces, which is large enough for the mother to feel
its movements.
o In the last 5 months of pregnancy, the fetus will gain an
additional 7 or 8 pounds before birth.
Periods of Prenatal Development
3. Period of the Fetus (Weeks 9-38)
Periods of Prenatal Development
3. Period of the Fetus (Weeks 9-38)
o During the fetal period, the finishing
touches are placed on the many systems
that are essential to human life, such as
respiration, digestion, and vision.
Characteristics of the Prenatal period
1. The hereditary endowment, which serves as the
foundation for latter development, is fixed at
this time
2. Favorable conditions in the mother’s body can
foster the development of hereditary potentials
while unfavorable conditions can stunt their
development
Characteristics of the Prenatal period
3. The sex of the newly created individual is fixed
at the time of conception and conditions within the
mother’s body will not affect it.
4. Proportionally greater growth and development
take place during the prenatal period than any
other time throughout the individual’s entire life.
Characteristics of the Prenatal period
5. The prenatal period is the time of many hazards,
both physical and psychological

6. Prenatal period is the time when significant

people form attitudes toward newly created
individuals
 Conditions Affecting Attitudes of
Significant People
Mother’s Attitude
a. Love of children
b. desire for companionship
c. desire to please her husband or improve a poor
marital relationship
d. desire to be like her friends who have children
e. feelings of inadequacy for parental role
 Conditions Affecting Attitudes of
Significant People
Mother’s Attitude
f. resentment at having to give up a career
g. fear of childbirth or having a defective child
h. resentment at the physical discomforts and weight
gain associated with pregnancy
i. resentment at being overworked or tied down
 Conditions Affecting Attitudes of
Significant People
Father’s Attitude
a. desire for a son to carry on the family name or be
associated with him in business
b. a need to prove his virility to himself and to others
c. feelings of inadequacy for parental role
d. resentment at interference with educational or
vocational plans.
e. worry about the financial burdens of raising a child
f. resentment of being tied down
 Conditions Affecting Attitudes of
Significant People
Sibling’s Attitude
a. desire for a playmate
b. desire to have as many siblings as their friends
c. fear of losing parental affection and attention
d. fear of having to share a room or toys with the new
sibling or having to help care for it
e. desire for sympathy from friends who complain
about their own siblings
 Conditions Affecting Attitudes of
Significant People
Grandparent’s Attitude
a. desire for a grandchild to carry on the family name
b. love of children
c. desire to feel useful by helping care of the grandchild
d. fear of being imposed on for financial or other help
 Effects of Attitudes on Children
The mother’s attitude can have an effect on
her unborn baby – not through the umbilical cord,
which is the only direct connection between the two
– but as a result of the endocrine changes which can
and do occur if the mother-to-be is subjected to
severe and prolonged stress which normally
accompanies persistently unfavorable attitudes.
 Hazards during the Prenatal Period
3 methods of determining fetal defects
and health

1. Ultrasound
2. Amniocentesis
3. Chorionic villus sampling
 Hazards during the Prenatal Period
3 methods of determining fetal
defects and health

1. Ultrasound – uses sound

waves and a computer
monitor, and is non-invasive,
thus minimizing potential
harm to fetus and mother.
 Hazards during the Prenatal Period
3 methods of determining fetal
defects and health
2. Amniocentesis – a small
amount of amniotic fluid is
extracted from the amnion
around a developing fetus. It is
usually offered when there
maybe an increased risk for
genetic conditions.
 Hazards during the Prenatal Period
3 methods of determining fetal defects and health
3. Chronic villus sampling – prenatal diagnosis to
determine genetic abnormalities in the fetus.
- generally carried out only on pregnant
woman over the age of 35 and those who have
higher risks of Down Syndrome and other
chromosomal conditions.
Hazards during the Prenatal Period
 1. Physical Hazards:
PERIOD OF THE ZYGOTE
• Starvation – if it has too little yoke to keep it alive
until it can lodge itself in the uterine wall or if it remains
too long in the tube.
• Lack of uterine preparation – the uterine wall are
not prepared to received the zygote
• Implantation in the wrong place – if the zygote
become attached to a small fibroid tissue in the uterine
wall or the wall of the fallopian tube, it cannot get
nourishment and will die.
 Physical Hazards:
PERIOD OF THE EMBRYO
• Miscarriages – falls, emotional shocks, malnutrition,
glandular disturbances, vitamin deficiency and serious
diseases, such as pneumonia and diabetes

• Developmental Irregularities – maternal malnutrition,

vitamin and glandular deficiencies, excessive use of
drugs, alcohol and tobacco, diseases like diabetes and
German measles
 Physical Hazards:
PERIOD OF THE FETUS
• Miscarriages – possible up to the fifth month of
pregnancy
• Prematurity – fetuses who weight less than 2 pounds
and 3 ounces have less chance of surviving
• Complications of delivery – maternal stress affects
uterine contractions
• Developmental irregularities – any of the unfavorable
environmental conditions present during the period of
the embryo will also affect development of fetal
features.
 2. Psychological Hazards:
a. Traditional Beliefs – many people still believe
that they can control the sex of their offspring.
b. Maternal stress – ex. not wanting the child,
economic difficulties or having the child will
interfere with educational or vocational plans
c. Unfavorable attitudes on the part of the
significant people – not wanting a child at this
time, preference for a child, dream-child
concept, etc.
Some highlights of the Prenatal Devt are:

“
At 4 weeks after conception, a flat set of cells
curls to form a tube. One end of the tube
swells to form the brain; the rest forms the
spinal cord. By the start of the fetal period,
the brain has distinct structures and has
begun to regulate body functions.
Neural Tube
Some highlights of the Prenatal Devt are:

“
Near the end of the embryonic period, male
embryos develop testes and female embryos
develop ovaries. In the 3rd month, the testes in
a male fetus secrete a hormone that causes a
set of cells to become a penis and scrotum; in a
female fetus this hormone is absent, so the
same cells become a vagina and labia.
Some highlights of the Prenatal Devt are:

“
During the 5th and 6th months after
conception, eyebrows, eyelashes, and scalp hair
emerge. The skin thickens and is covered with
a thick greasy substance, or vernix, that
protects the fetus during its long bath in
amniotic fluid.
 1
With these and other rapid changes, by 22 to 28
weeks most systems function well enough that a
fetus born at this time has a chance to survive,
which is why this age range is called the age of
viability. By this age, the fetus has a distinctly baby-
like look, but babies born this early have trouble
breathing because their lungs are not yet mature.
Influences on
“
Prenatal
Development
 Three General Risk Factors
Nutrition Stress Mother’s Age
 Nutrition
o The mother is the developing child’s sole source
of nutrition, so a balanced diet that includes
foods from each of the five major food groups
is vital.
o increase their intake of calories by about 10 to 20%
o What a pregnant woman eats is also very
important. Proteins, vitamins, and minerals are
essential for normal prenatal development.
 Nutrition
o Folic acid (one of the B vitamins) is important for the baby’s
nervous system to develop properly (Shaw et al., 1995).
o When mothers do not consume adequate amounts of folic
acid, their babies are at risk for spina bifida, a disorder in
which the embryo’s neural tube does not close properly
during the first month of pregnancy.
o Since the neural tube develops into the brain and spinal
cord, the result when it does not close properly is permanent
damage to the spinal cord and the nervous system.
o Many children with spina bifida need crutches, braces, or
wheelchairs.
 Nutrition
o When a pregnant woman does not provide
adequate nourishment, the infant is likely to be
born prematurely and to be underweight.
o Inadequate nourishment during the last few
months of pregnancy can particularly affect the
nervous system, because this is a time of rapid
brain growth.
o Finally, babies who do not receive adequate
nourishment are vulnerable to illness (Morgane et
al., 1993).
 Stress
o Studies typically show that women who report greater anxiety
during pregnancy more often give birth early or have babies who
weigh less than average (Copper et al., 1996; Paarlberg et al.,
1995).
o When women are anxious throughout pregnancy, their children
are less able to pay attention as infants and more prone to
behavioral problems as preschoolers (Huizink et al., 2002;
O’Conner et al., 2002).
o Similar results emerges in studies of pregnant women exposed to
disasters, such as the September 11 attacks on the World Trade
Center: their children’s physical and behavioral development is
affected (Engel et al., 2005; Laplante et al., 2004).
 Effects of Stress
o When a pregnant woman experiences stress, her body secretes
hormones that reduce the flow of oxygen to the fetus while
increasing its heart rate and activity level (Monk et al.,2000).
o Stress can weaken a pregnant woman’s immune system,
making her more susceptible to illness (Cohen & Williamson,
1991) that can, in turn, damage fetal development.
o Pregnant women under stress are more likely to smoke or
drink alcohol and are less likely to rest, exercise, and eat
properly (DiPietro et al., 2004). All these behaviors endanger
prenatal development.
 Mothers Age
o Traditionally, the 20s were thought to be the prime
childbearing years.
o Teenage women as well as women who were 30 or older were
considered less fit for the rigors of pregnancy.
o Compared to women in their 20s, teenage women are
more likely to have problems during pregnancy, labor,
and delivery. This is largely because pregnant teenagers
are more likely to be economically disadvantaged and
to lack good prenatal care—either because they are
unaware of the need for it or because they cannot
afford it.
 Mothers Age
o Traditionally, the 20s were thought to be the prime
childbearing years.
o Teenage women as well as women who were 30 or older were
considered less fit for the rigors of pregnancy.
o Traditionally, older women were thought to have more difficult
pregnancies and more complicated labor and deliveries. Today, we
know that women in their 20s are twice as fertile as women in
their 30s (Dunson et al., 2002). For women 35 years of age and
older, the risks of miscarriage and stillbirth increase rapidly. Among
40- to 45-year-olds, for example, nearly half of all pregnancies
result in miscarriage (Andersen et al., 2000). Also, women in their
40s are more liable to give birth to babies with Down syndrome.
 “
TERATOGENS:
Drugs, Diseases and
Environmental Hazards
 Teratogens
An agent that causes
abnormal prenatal
development.
Drugs
 Drugs

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Diseases
Environmental Hazards
 How Teratogens Influence
Prenatal Development
1. The impact of a teratogen depends on the
genotype of the organism.

• heredity makes some individuals more

susceptible than others to a teratogen.
 How Teratogens Influence
Prenatal Development
2. The impact of teratogens changes over the
course of prenatal development.
 How Teratogens Influence
Prenatal Development
2. The impact of teratogens changes over
the course of prenatal development.

a. During the period of the zygote = spontaneous abortion

of the fertilized egg.
b. During the period of the embryo, = produces major
defects in bodily structure.
c. During the period of the fetus = minor defects in bodily
structure or causes body systems to function improperly.
How Teratogens Influence
Prenatal Development
3. Each teratogen affects a specific aspect
(or aspects) of prenatal development.
• teratogens do not harm all body systems; instead,
damage is selective.
4. The impact of teratogens depends on
the dose.
• Just as a single drop of oil won’t pollute a lake, small
doses of teratogens may not harm the fetus.
• In general, the greater the exposure, the greater the
risk for damage (Adams, 1999).
How Teratogens Influence
Prenatal Development
5. Damage from teratogens is not always evident
at birth but may appear later in life
• Sometimes, however, the damage from a teratogen
becomes evident only as the child develops.
• For example, when women ate PCB-contaminated fish, their
babies were normal at birth. Their below-average cognitive
skills were not evident until several months later.
• Daughters of women who took diethylstilbestrol (DES) are
more likely to have a rare cancer of the vagina and to have
difficulties becoming pregnant themselves. Sons of women
who took DES may be less fertile and at risk for cancer of the
testes.
BEST RECIPE for NORMAL
“
PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
◎PrenatalMedical Care
◎Adequate Nutrition
◎Avoid Chronic Stress
 “
◎Thank you
◎Any questions?