The Prenatal Environment and Hazards to Healthy Prenatal.
In the midst of all the excitement that comes with planning for a new baby, parents tend to forget how important maternal health is for prenatal development; The three factors or hazards I feel that are the most important for parents to understand or remember during and for prenatal development are alcohol consumption, smoking and second-hand smoke inhalation, and chemical and drug intake.
Prenatal development is the process that occurs during the 40 weeks prior to the birth of a child. There are three stages of prenatal development: germinal, embryonic, and fetal.Prenatal development is also organized into three equal trimesters, which do not correspond with the three stages.
Teratology. Good prenatal care is essential. The developing child is most at risk for some of the most severe problems during the first three months of development. Unfortunately, this is a time at which most mothers are unaware that they are pregnant. Today, we know many of the factors that can jeopardize the health of the developing child.
The aim of experimental teratology in the post-thalidomide period has been the exact explanation of causes and mechanisms of the rise of CDDs. Wilson defined teratology as a science dealing with adverse effects of the environment on developing systems, namely on germ cells, embryos, foetuses, and immature individuals.A more comprehensive definition is that teratology is the science dealing.
Teratology is the study of the causes, mechanisms, and manifestations of abnormal fetal development. Environmental factors, such as infectious diseases, drugs, chemicals, and radiation, have been shown to cause abnormal development by inducing chromosome abnormalities, specific gene changes, vascular changes, or mechanical disruption.
Teratogens may affect the embryo or fetus in a number of ways, causing physical malformations, problems in the behavioral or emotional development of the child, and decreased intellectual quotient (IQ) in the child. Additionally, teratogens may also affect pregnancies and cause complications such as preterm labors, spontaneous abortions, or miscarriages.
Teratology is the branch of science that studies the cause, mechanisms, and patterns of abnormal development. A fundamental concept in teratology is that certain stages of embryonic development are more vulnerable to disruption than others.