Transcript psy203.fas.fae

Teratogens
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Environmental agent (drug, chemical, virus, other)
contributes to a birth defect/damage during
prenatal development
70-80% of cases the exact cause of birth defect or
damage remains unknown
Common Teratogens
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Alcohol
Tobacco (moms as passive smokers)
 Now
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3rd-hand smoke!
Cocaine/crack
Heroin
Marijuana
Methamphetamine
Teratogens: FAS
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One of the leading known preventable causes
of mental retardation and birth defects
If a woman drinks alcohol during her
pregnancy: baby can be born with FAS…
 a lifelong condition that causes physical and
mental disabilities.
Bottom line: Don’t take the risk!
FAS/FAE
Teratogens: FAS
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abnormal facial features, growth deficiencies,
CNS problems
learning, memory, attention span,
communication, vision, hearing, combination of
these
difficulties in school, problems getting along
with others
Teratogens: FAS
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FAS is a permanent condition. It affects every
aspect of an individual’s life and the lives of his or
her family.
Teratogens:
FAS facial characteristics
FAS effects on the brain
Teratogens
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Other effects on prenatal environment:
 Chemicals,
solvents, leads, radiation (e.g., X-rays)
 Pollution
 Construction/electrical
materials
 OTC drugs (e.g., aspirin)
Maternal factors
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Exercise
Emotional stress
Mother’s diet
Maternal disease
Maternal age
Timing is everything
Birth
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Three stages:
 Dilation
and effacement of cervix
 Delivery of baby
 Birth of placenta
How long???
Approaches to childbirth
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Natural childbirth
Hospital
Home birth
Birthing center
Water birth
Doulas
Others?
Birth: Approaches
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Cultural differences:
 Great
variation
 Unremarkable process
 Women only
 Family/societal involvement
 Positions for delivery
 What
matters:
 health
and comfort!
Birth plans
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Preferences and choices for delivery
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Have become quite popular
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Highly variable
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Not always possible to stick to the plan, but serves
helpful document for family and practitioners
Evidence-based medicine?
Postpartum depression (10-15%)
Postpartum depression (10-15%)
The National Women's Health Information Center
offers this list of risk factors for postpartum
depression:
 Having a personal or family history of
depression or another mental illness.
 Having insufficient support from friends and
family.
 Feeling negative or anxious about pregnancy.
 Having problems in a relationship, or
financial difficulties.
 Dealing with stressful life events.
 Being young during pregnancy.
 Having a substance abuse problem.
The newborn
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Reflexes:
Unlearned, organized, involuntary
responses
Automatic in response to certain stimuli
In
newborns and shortly thereafter
May even be well-practiced before
birth!
Newborn reflexes:
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Survival:
Breathing
Eye blink
Sucking
Swallowing
Rooting
Newborn reflexes:
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Primitive:
Babinski
Swimming
Grasping
Stepping
Newborn reflexes:
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Food intake:
Rooting
Sucking
Newborn reflexes:
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Protection and danger alert:
Moro/startle
Swimming
Eye
blink
Newborn reflexes:
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Primitive
Babinski
Stepping
Infant imitation:
Imitate basic visual and auditory sensory input
within a few hours
 E.g., facial expressions and movements
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