Prenatal Development, Birth, the the Newborn

Prenatal Development, Birth, Newborn and Physical Development

Ice Breaker?

What is your go to comfort food?

Draw

Draw and label the parts of the female reproductive system (uterus).

Open Ended

What is the difference between the vagina and the cervix (e.g. functions)?

Vagina vs. Cervix

​Vagina: This is the muscular canal that leads from the outside of the body to the cervix.
It’s what:
-menstrual blood flows through
-a penis can go into
-a baby passes through during vaginal birth
Cervix: This is the lower, narrow opening of the uterus. It sits at the very end of the vagina and acts like a doorway between the vagina and the uterus.
It:
-lets sperm enter the uterus
-lets period blood exit opens
-(dilates) during childbirth

​Process of Prenatal Development

Stage 1: Germinal Period (Week 2)
Stage 2: Embryonic Period (Weeks 3-8)
Stage 3: Fetal Period (Week 9)

Stage 1: Germinal Period (Week 2)

Only a few sperm reach the egg.

-After the sperm has entered the egg, the tail of the sperm breaks off and the head of the sperm, containing the genetic information from the father, unites with the nucleus of the egg.

It is typically fertilized in the top section of the fallopian tube and continues its journey to the uterus. As a result, a new cell is zygote. cell is formed. This cell contains the combined genetic information from both parents.

Stage 1: Germinal Period (Week 2)

the organism begins cell division through mitosis. After five days of mitosis, there are 100 cells, which is now called a blastocyst.

Stage 1: Germinal Period (Week 2)

Stage 2: Embryonic Period (Weeks 3-8)

​After the blastocyst implants, it is called an embryo. After implantation, the placenta also begins to grow.

Stage 2: Embryonic Period (Weeks 3-8)

Growth during prenatal development occurs in two major directions: from head to tail called cephalocaudal development and from the midline outward referred to as proximodistal development.

This means that those structures nearest the head develop before those nearest the feet and those structures nearest the torso develop before those away from the center of the body (such as hands and fingers).  

​Stage 3: Fetal Period (Week 9)

After Week 9, the organism is no longer an embryo, but knows as a fetus.

​Stage 3: Fetal Period (Week 9)

The first chance of survival outside the womb, known as the age of viability is reached at about 24 weeks.

Between the 7th - 9th months, the fetus is primarily preparing for birth.

The fetus continues to gain weight and grow in length until approximately 40 weeks. By then the fetus has very little room to move around and birth becomes imminent.

Interactive Timeline

https://www.ehd.org/science_main.php?level=i

Stages of Labor

The first stage of labor is typically the longest. During this stage the cervix or opening to the uterus dilates to 10 centimeters or just under 4 inches. This may take around 12-16 hours for first children or about 6-9 hours for women who have previously given birth.

The second stage involves the passage of the baby through the birth canal. This stage takes about 10-40 minutes. Contractions usually come about every 2-3 minutes.

The third stage is relatively painless. During this stage, the placenta or afterbirth is delivered. This typically within 20 minutes after delivery.

https://www.purposegames.com/game/stages-of-labor-sort

​Stages of Labor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubj7MVvFtfA
(Time 2:25)

​The Evolution of Human Birth

Open Ended

List some things that are important for newborn care in your culture?

Teratogens

Teratogens: are environmental factors that can contribute to birth defects, and include some maternal diseases, drugs and alcohol.

• Alcohol

• Tobacco

• Prescription and/or Over-the-counter Medication

• Illicit Drugs

• Environmental Pollutants

• Maternal Diseases

Maternal Mortality Rates

Highest maternal mortality in high-income nations

Among wealthy, developed countries, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate. Multiple international reports show:

• The U.S. had roughly around 22–23 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022 — higher than any other high-income country analyzed.

• Other high-income countries typically have much lower rates — often well below 10 per 100,000, with some (like Norway) reporting very low or even zero deaths in certain recent years.

That means even among rich countries with advanced health systems, the U.S. stands out for having a significantly higher rate of mothers dying from pregnancy-related causes compared with its peers.

Newborn

Newborn Reflexes

• Sucking: newborns will suck on anything that touches their lips

• Rooting: newborns will turn their head when their cheek is touched. The rooting reflex is thought to be helpful in breastfeeding.

• Grasping: newborns will automatically grasp anything that touches the palm of their hand

• Babinski: when the sole of a newborn's foot is stroked, the toes will fan out and then curl back in

• Moro: when the infant suddenly loses support of their head and neck, they will throw their arms and legs out to the side and then contract them inward

• Stepping: newborn's legs will automatically move in a stepping like motion when feet touch a smooth surface

Physical Development in Childhood

Infancy and Toddlerhood

​Infancy & Toddlerhood (ages 0-2): The average newborn in the United States weighs about 7.5 pounds and is about 20 inches in length. For the first few days of life, infants typically lose about 5 percent of their body weight as they eliminate waste and get used to feeding. This weight loss is temporary, however, and is followed by a rapid period of growth. By the time an infant is 4-5 months old, it usually doubles in weight (average 13-17 lbs) and by one year has tripled it birth weight (average 20-23 lbs). By 2 years old, the weight has quadrupled (average 25-30 lbs).

Early Childhood (ages 3-6)

Early Childhood (ages 3-6): Children between the ages of 2 and 6 years tend to grow about 3 inches in height each year and gain about 4 to 5 pounds in weight each year. The average 6 year old weighs about 46 pounds and is about 46 inches in height. The 3 year old is very similar to a toddler with a large head, large stomach, short arms and legs. But by the time the child reaches age 6, the torso has lengthened and body proportions have become more like those of adults.

Middle Childhood

Middle Childhood (ages 7-12): Rates of growth generally slow during this time. Typically, a child will gain about 5-7 pounds a year and grow about 2 inches per year. They also tend to slim down and gain muscle strength and lung capacity making it possible to engage in strenuous physical activity for long periods of time.

Motor Skills

• Motor Skills refer to our ability to move our bodies and manipulate objects.

  • Fine motor skills focus on the muscles in our fingers, toes, and eyes, and enable coordination of small actions (e.g., grasping a toy, writing with a pencil, and using a spoon).

  • Gross motor skills focus on large muscle groups that control our head, torso, arms and legs and involve larger movements (e.g., balancing, running, and jumping).

Motor Skills

Learning to Move

Development of Depth Perception
youtube.com/watch?v=WanGt1G6ScA&feature=youtu.be

Adjusting to Different Environments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtZ91JuavxU

Brain Development in Early Childhood

Development in the prefrontal cortex (the area of the brain behind the forehead that helps us to think, strategize, and control attention and emotion) makes it increasingly possible to control emotional outbursts and understand how to play games.

Between ages 3 and 6, the left hemisphere of the brain grows dramatically. This side of the brain or hemisphere is typically involved in language skills. The right hemisphere continues to grow throughout early childhood and is involved in tasks that require spatial skills, such as recognizing shapes and patterns.

The corpus callosum undergoes a growth spurt between ages 3 and 6, and this results in improved coordination between right and left hemisphere tasks.