Developmental Psychology

When looking at how a mother or primary caregiver impacts social and physical development in prenatal stage, it is important to look at the biological mother. Since all prenatal nutrition is done through the mother, according to Barker, who suggest that we live in two worlds, that of ours and that of our mothers, it is imperative that that mother take the proper steps while being pregnant to increase the likelihood of a healthy baby.
When looking a risk factors such a teratogens, which are substances that cross the placenta and harm the fetus, women must understand that whatever their body takes in while pregnant whether it be healthy, or unhealthy, the baby will intake as well. Some popular teratogens that are used while pregnant are drugs, both prescription and nonprescription, environmental pollutants, and the advanced age of the parent. Although there is no guarantee that if these teratogens are used the baby will come out with a defect or disorder, the chance however, does increase as these items or exposed to the mother. There are a few principles when looking at teratogens. The first is that ingesting these teratogens can cause structural damage during the embryonic stage. Also the can cause brain damage during gestation. Last and maybe the more important thing to realize is that these can be unpredictable. You might know someone who smokes everyday during pregnancy, but their baby when born, comes out perfectly normal. On the other hand you may know someone who had one drink during pregnancy, and their baby when born had brain damage and structural damage as well.
Following birth and preceding into future development, a baby that appeared to be healthy, can develop problems over time, and a baby that appeared to be unhealthy upon birth can development into a healthy adult. During the physical development actual structural damage can be seen. With some teratogen use, you will notice that low birth weight is common, as well as a smaller head, and ear,... [continues]

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