Prenatal Development

Prenatal development is the most rapid form of development. There are three periods, the germinal period, the embryonic period and the foetal period. The germinal stage begins at conception, when the sperm and an ovum unite to form the zygote. The zygote implants into the wall of the uterus. This takes about a week. (Robin Harwood, Scott A. Miller, Ross Vasta, 2008, P.113)

The embryonic period lasts from week 3 till week 8. In the third week body structures will emerge from the inner cell mass which differentiates into three layers. The heart is beating by the end of the third week. In the fifth week the head and brain are quickly developing. The upper limbs form and the lower limbs appear. In the sixth week it is possible to recognise elbows,

“It can cause cardiovascular difficulties, arthritis, sterility, and in women, pelvic inflammatory disease, which itself can cause an ectopic or tubal, pregnancy. In an ectopic pregnancy, the zygote implants in the woman’s fallopian tube rather than in her uterus, and to save the mother’s life the pregnancy must be terminated”. (Turner and Rubinson, 1993) (E.Mavis Hetherington, Ross D. Parke 1999 P.117) Gonorrhea can also lead to blindness. “The most common problem is eye infection, which can lead to blindness if untreated. Fortunately, almost all newborns are treated with silver nitrate eye drops at birth to prevent this problem”. (Murata et al., 1992; Whitney & Goldenberg 1990) (Robin Harwood, Scott A .Miller, Ross Vasta

Alcohol has many bad effects on the baby. If a mother consumes a lot of alcohol during their pregnancy it can cause the baby to have fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Babies who suffer from FAS have a lot of disabilities. “FAS may lead to limb and facial malformations, congenital heart disease, failure to thrive, anomalies of the external genitalia, growth retardation, mental retardation, and learning disabilities”. (Robin Harwood, Scott A.Miller, Ross Vasta, 2008, P.123). Children suffering from FAS may engage in odd behaviour. “They may be excessively irritable, distractible and hyperactive and may engage in behaviours such as repeatedly banging their heads or rhythmically rocking their bodies” (E.Mavis Hetherington, Ross D. Parke 1999, P.121) When a mother consumes alcohol when pregnant it can cause the child to become physically sick. “Many babies born to alcoholic mothers go through withdrawal from the drug: They shake, vomit, are irascible, and generally exhibit symptoms akin to delirium tremens, the extreme withdrawal syndrome seen in adult alcoholics”. (E.Mavis Hetherington, Ross D. Parke 1999