Unit 2 - Prenatal Development

National Geographic Video: In the Womb

Wednesday, Jan 9, 2012 Lecture #3 National Geographic video: In The Womb

Sperm penetrates egg egg is now impenetrable to all other sperm A child s sex always determined by father (mother xx father xy) father contributes an x OR y Egg -

Fertilized by sperm Day 1: egg divides for the first time (chromosomes duplicate first) After 4-5 days blastocyst has 100ish cells Outer cells: will be the placenta Inner cells: will be the embryo itself (STEM cells that can become ANY cell) 7 days blastocyst arrives implants in the uterus @ 2 weeks embryo takes shape 3rd week folding causes a neural tube (top = head, bottom = trunk) day 15 nerve cells develop to eventually form the brain moms blood volume ^ up to 50% 3 weeks HEART (first organ to form) jolts to life; beats. Blood cells form to bring food & nutrients to fetus heart delivers food and o2.. 4 weeks kidney bean sized embryo Day 30 embryo undistinguishable from chicken pig etc. 6 weeks inch long, eyes open (no eyelids) 8 weeks embryo now is a FETUS UNTILL NOW, SHE EXTRACTED NUITRIENTS FROM HER yolk sac; NOW it shrivels PLACENTA now provides nuit and filters waste through the mothers flood stream. Umbilical cord -> fetal arteres Placenta also produces hormones may cause morning sickness (progesterone - stops other eggs from being released. Others stop moms immune system from rejecting the embryo) 9 weeks nerves develop; fetus starts to twitch (involuntary reflex spasms) 12 weeks OPTINAL ultrasound

Journey of the egg: Fertilization cell division (into a blastocyst) outer cells embryo travels through fallopian tube uterus

placenta. Inner cells-

2 weeks 3 weeks folding of cells into a neural tube. Heart forms after 22 days, starts to beat. Mothers blood volume ^ (demand for extra oxygen) Day 30 embryo undistinguishable from chicken pig etc Fetus - @ 2 mts yolk sac gone, nuit now provided by placenta Provides food, nuit water to fetus from mothers blood stream Placenta: filters harmful subt. (not alcohol, drugs etc.) Placenta prod many hormones in 1st trimester (progesterone stops new eggs) 9 wks. Fetuses nerves develop (involve. Reflex spasms no brain YET) Heart rate peaks (165bpm) slows when brain develops

3 months first ultrasound Twins: Identical develop from the same egg, share all DNA, may share a yolk sac and placenta Non-identical (fraternal) 2 egg and sperm develop at the same time Reflexes stepping relflex 12 weeks 2nd trimester now less risk of miscarriage only 50% fertilized eggs survive to pregnancy sex organs develop from the protuberance becomes penis or clitoris nervour system working bones hardening hands develop before feet Proprioception develops

@ 12 weeks optional ultrasound 18 weeks required ultrasound to determine and defects in fetus Lungs last organ to develop (through pregnancy, O2 is delivered through placenta) Breathing mvmnt strenghthens chest muscles After 26 wks most fetusu survive Music alters mood of fetus 32 weeks on: fetus is learning about the world -Recognition of mothers voice (most recognizable sound)

-Very common for fetus to recognize stories 33weeks 3rd trimester -Uncomfortable period -Baby has REM sleep (& dreams) -Fetus can survive if born after 35 wks -Water beak rupture of amniotic sac -Lungs secrete protein into amniotic fluid initiates contraction of uterine wall -Cervix stretches 10cm wide birth inconsequential part of development for the newborn

Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 Lecture #4 Prenatal Development Genetic pre-determination determine genes Experiences (environment) change and shape baby (a lot of room for individual variability) Review In the Womb National Geographic

* Neural Development Neural tube develops 3 weeks after conception Second trimester brain stem develops controls * Reflexes ex) the stepping reflex (foot pushing up when it comes in contact with uterine wall) Ex) the grasping reflex VERY strong, unsure why we have it possibly left over from monkeys * Sensory development ex) proprioception, auditory development, taste (fetus swallows amniotic fluid (in order to develop digestive system) and picks up flavors from mothers diet), smell (Vision is the only sense NOT developing in utero) * Learning * Fetal Behavior ex) Thumb sucking preference in utero can predict later handedness (around 4 years of age)

Conception and Genetics - Homozygous pair = two sets of information are the SAME at any given locus - Heterozygous pair = two sets of genes are different at any given locus - Genotype = genetic blueprint ON chromosomes - Phenotype = observable characteristics; consequence from genotype Dominant / Recessive Genes - Dominant genes will ALWAYS express their characteristics - Recessive 2 copies are necessary to express characteristics Twins - Identical (monozygotic) - Fraternal (dizygotic) 2 separate sperm, 2 separate eggs no more related than siblings - Twins are used in genetic research if they re more similar, then we assume that this trait is highly genetic BUT even though they have the same genes, the environment can affect gene expression of this trait as they become older Sex Differences in Prenatal Development - Weeks 4 & 8: males secrete testosterone (necessary for development of male genitalia) - Prenatal hormones MAY influence sex differences in: y IQ y Brain development y Levels of aggression y Relative dominance of right and left hemispheres Girls faster skeletal development Boys heavier and longer at birth, more vulnerable to prenatal problems, more likely to be aborted spontaneously, cause an increased risk of miscarriage for mothers in a future pregnancy, boys more likely to have birth defects, birth injury boys are highly disadvantaged. Why? They only have ONE copy of the X chromosome (females have 2, but one is turned off unclear why, but usually the weaker one is turned off this makes females more protected a faulty X is not used). Boys are also more active.

Prenatal Behavior - 25 weeks: fetus responds to sound with body movements - (Ultrasounds: warm up amniotic fluid unsure if this is safe) - 32 weeks: can distinguish b/t familiar and novel stimuli - Learning - begins prenatally ex) Cat in The Hat experiment - Music played prenatally may lead to advanced MOTOR and COGNITIVE skills at six months

LOST FRIDAYS LECTURE??? (Lecture5) MONDAY JAN 16TH CONTINUED UNIT 2 Lect 6 Teratogens (continued) - Unpasteurized cheeses, certain meats (etc.) any food borne illness carries a minimal risk to us, however to those with compromised immune systems (like a pregnant mother, who is immunosuppressed) it carries a high risk. - Caffeine causes a hyperactive baby? Animal literature does not support this, however, high doses of caffeine can increase the risk of miscarriage (vascular constriction) There is no clear consensus on this. 1/5 first time C-sections C-sections reduce the rate of stillborn babies 20% C-sections goal for many countries 80% likelihood of mother having C-section after 1 previous C-section 100% likelihood of mother having a C-section after 2 previous C-sections Assessing the Newborn - Apgar Scale : 1-10 Below 4: in need of immediate cessitation Evaluated at birth and 5 minutes later -Brazelton Scale Reflexed watched over first couple of weeks

Optimal birth weight 3,000-5,000 grams LBW: below 2,500 grams VLBW: below 1,500 grams ELBW: below 1,000 grams Preterm: born below 37 weeks Small-for-date-neonates (infants, full term, who are as small as a early baby) due to exposure to toxins, smoking. Greatest risk is respiratory distress syndrome Lungs aren t ready surfactant is sprayed into lungs, coats them and keeps lungs from sticking together when they deflate * Adequate parental education and support reduced the risk of complications US preterm infants are sent home earlier, less concern Canada average $50,000 is spent to care for a pre-term infant