Prenatal development is an important period related to development compared to other periods. In prenatal development, an organism is totally dependent on the mother. The organism gets nutrients through the mother’s placenta. Many factors affect prenatal development. These factors are- teratogens, and maternal factors.

Teratogens

Teratogens are chemical, physical, and environmental agents that cause damage during the prenatal period. Both teratogens and maternal factors play an important role in prenatal development.  Teratogens are very harmful compared to maternal factors. Teratogen is a Greek word teras, meaning malformation (Monstrosity). In teratogens, many factors are involved. They are:-

• • Illegal Drugs   Heroin and cocaine drug lead to physical defects, death of an infant at the time of birth, prematurity, low birth weight, and breathing difficulties. And, marijuana drug leads to small head size, academic achievement difficulties, attention and memory problems. The prenatal mother uses illegal drugs to alter mood, thinking, and behavior such as cocaine, Marijuana, and heroin.

    

  • Tobacco    By mother smoking leads to low birth weight, miscarriage, prematurity, cleft lip and plate, blood vessel abnormality, impaired heart rate, infant death, asthma, cancer in childhood.

    

  • Alcohol   Alcohol has a bad effect on the mother’s health and infant. Alcohol leads to FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder). During pregnancy, the mother consumes more alcohol result the child’s motor coordination being very poor.
  • Radiation   It is very harmful in the prenatal development period and it can damage healthy cells, miscarriage, slow physical growth, and physical deformities ( dysfunctioning ).

    

     

  • Environmental Pollution    It is responsible for abnormal fetal development. Environmental pollution leads to mental retardation, abnormal speech, low birth weight, and discolored skin.

    

     

  • Infectious Diseases    Infectious diseases can be caused by many pathogens including bacteria, viral, and parasitic.

    

     

  • Prescription and nonprescription medication     In 1960, thalidomide drugs were widely used in Canada, Europe, and South America. Thalidomide drug is taken by the mother after conception (4 to 6 weeks after conception). Thalidomide damages the embryo’s arms, legs, ears, heart, and kidney genitals.

    

    Diethylstilbestrol medication was used to prevent miscarriages. Mother’s daughter reached adolescence, in daughter’s high rates of cancer of the vagina and infertility. In young men showed an increased risk of genital abnormalities and cancer of the testes

    Vitamin-A used by the mother. Vitamin A affects the embryo’s eyes, ears, skull, brain, and immune system.   

    

    Nonprescription depends on the mother’s choice. The pregnant mother used coffee and tea cola. They lead to a high risk of low birth weight.

    Maternal Factors

    The maternal factors also influence prenatal development. If women can regularly exercise ( Morning walk, Evening walk) then increase their birth weight. Examples of maternal factors. They are nutrition, emotional stress, blood type, maternal age, and previous births.

    

    • Nutrition   In the maternal factors, during the prenatal period, the organism is totally dependent on the mother for nutrients. The placenta permits food and oxygen to reach the organism. Mother’s healthy diet results in a healthy weight for the infant. In the prenatal period, malnutrition leads to a damaged nervous system.                                                                                   Effect of a healthy and unhealthy diet on infant

      

       

    • Emotional Stress    It is a part of maternal factors. During pregnancy, if women experience severe emotional stress then infants will suffer from many developmental difficulties.

      

       

    • Maternal Age   It is a subpart of maternal factors. maternal age plays the most important role in maternal factors related to development. The mother’s age also affects prenatal development. If the maternal age is between 30 to 40 years then the a high risk of infertility, miscarriage, and a baby born with chromosomal abnormalities.

      

       

    • Rh factor incompatibility    It is included in maternal factors. Rh( Rhesus) factor is found in the red blood cells. Blood has protein that leads to Rh-positive and without protein leads to Rh-negative.

      

      If a baby born Rh-positive leads to form antibodies to the foreign Rh protein and heart damage, mental retardation, infant death, and miscarriage.

Key Features of Maternal Factors in Prenatal Development

• Maternal factors are the physical and psychological conditions of the mother. These conditions affect the Little organism.
• In maternal factors, maternal’s age affects the organism.
• Emotional stress is a part of maternal factors in prenatal development.

See Also

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