Prenatal Development Research Paper
Prenatal Development: The Stages and Risks of Prenatal Development
Ivy Tech University
Jaime Heineman
Pregnancy is an exciting time for the mother as well as her friends and family. It is an experience which has every emotion you can think of: joy, fear, curiosity, anxiety, and expectation. It is natural to be excited and afraid at the same time. Many expecting mothers are aware of the things they need to do and the things that they should avoid in order for their baby to grow and develop into a healthy newborn. In order to fully understand what is needed for the well-being of the growing baby, you need to know how the prenatal development works. Prenatal development can be broken down to a week by week basis, …show more content…
At this stage the fetus has all of the organs and structures that a full term new born has. The fetal stage is the longest of the three stages. It is nearly four times as long as the germinal stage and embryonic stage combined. During the fetal stage the fetus grows from three inches to close to twenty inches. Many body features begin to develop during this time. Finger nails and toe nails, eye lashes and eye lids, and increased brain waves are developing. The fetus can clearly be distinguished whether it is male or female with the use of an ultrasound. The increase in development until birth is not at as fast a rate as the other stage, germinal and embryonic. The fetal stage is almost like the finishing touches for the fetus. The baby can be born anywhere from 25-40 weeks. A baby born between 25- 28 weeks has a chance for survival but the chance for complications and death are high. A baby born between 33- 36 weeks is considered premature but has a high chance of survival. At 37- 40 weeks, the baby is considered full term and is ready to be born. The birth of the baby marks the end of the fetal period and the beginning of a new …show more content…
(2012). Infant Birth Outcomes Among Substance Using Women: Why Quitting Smoking During Pregnancy is Just as Important as Quitting Illicit Drug Use. Maternal & Child Health Journal, 16(2), 414-422. doi:10.1007/s10995-011-0776-y
( sorry, I don’t know why it did this and I couldn’t figure out how to change it.)
Boeree, D. C. (2009, March 11). General Psychology. Retrieved from http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/genpsyfetaldev.html
Santrock, J. (2012). A topical approach to life-span development. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Seppa, N. (2014, Feb 22). Small fetal size early on may bring health risks later. Science News, 185, 14. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1502665060?accountid=41057
Watkins, M. L., Rasmussen, S. A., Honein, M. A., Botto, L. D., & Moore, C. A. (2003). Maternal obesity and risk for birth defects. Pediatrics, 111(5), 1152-8. Retrieved from
Ivy Tech University
Jaime Heineman
Pregnancy is an exciting time for the mother as well as her friends and family. It is an experience which has every emotion you can think of: joy, fear, curiosity, anxiety, and expectation. It is natural to be excited and afraid at the same time. Many expecting mothers are aware of the things they need to do and the things that they should avoid in order for their baby to grow and develop into a healthy newborn. In order to fully understand what is needed for the well-being of the growing baby, you need to know how the prenatal development works. Prenatal development can be broken down to a week by week basis, …show more content…
At this stage the fetus has all of the organs and structures that a full term new born has. The fetal stage is the longest of the three stages. It is nearly four times as long as the germinal stage and embryonic stage combined. During the fetal stage the fetus grows from three inches to close to twenty inches. Many body features begin to develop during this time. Finger nails and toe nails, eye lashes and eye lids, and increased brain waves are developing. The fetus can clearly be distinguished whether it is male or female with the use of an ultrasound. The increase in development until birth is not at as fast a rate as the other stage, germinal and embryonic. The fetal stage is almost like the finishing touches for the fetus. The baby can be born anywhere from 25-40 weeks. A baby born between 25- 28 weeks has a chance for survival but the chance for complications and death are high. A baby born between 33- 36 weeks is considered premature but has a high chance of survival. At 37- 40 weeks, the baby is considered full term and is ready to be born. The birth of the baby marks the end of the fetal period and the beginning of a new …show more content…
(2012). Infant Birth Outcomes Among Substance Using Women: Why Quitting Smoking During Pregnancy is Just as Important as Quitting Illicit Drug Use. Maternal & Child Health Journal, 16(2), 414-422. doi:10.1007/s10995-011-0776-y
( sorry, I don’t know why it did this and I couldn’t figure out how to change it.)
Boeree, D. C. (2009, March 11). General Psychology. Retrieved from http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/genpsyfetaldev.html
Santrock, J. (2012). A topical approach to life-span development. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Seppa, N. (2014, Feb 22). Small fetal size early on may bring health risks later. Science News, 185, 14. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1502665060?accountid=41057
Watkins, M. L., Rasmussen, S. A., Honein, M. A., Botto, L. D., & Moore, C. A. (2003). Maternal obesity and risk for birth defects. Pediatrics, 111(5), 1152-8. Retrieved from