Chapter 3 Prenatal Development and Birth

low birth weight infants

An infant that weighs less than 5 1/2 pounds at birth.

small for date infants

Also called small for gestational age infants, these infants' birth weights are below normal when the length of pregnancy is considered. Small for date infants may be preterm or full term.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS)

An "offspring" of the NBAS, the NNNS provides an assessment of the newborn's behavior, neurological and stress responses, and regulatory capacities.

postpartum depression

Characteristic of women who have such strong feelings of sadness, anxiety, or despair that they have trouble coping with daily tasks in the postpartum period.

prepared childbirth

Developed by French obstetrician Ferdinand Lamaze, this childbirth strategy is similar to natural childbirth but includes a special breathing technique to control pushing in the final stages of labor and a more detailed anatomy and physiology course.

teratogen

From the Greek word tera, meaning "monster". Any agent that causes a birth defect. The field of study that investigates the causes of birth defects is called teratology.

fetal period

Lasting about seven months, the prenatal period between two months after conception and birth in typical pregnancies.

neurons

Nerve cells, which handle information processing at the cellular level in the brain.

cesarean delivery

Surgical procedure in which the baby is removed from the mother's uterus through an incision made in her abdomen.

breech position

The baby's position in the uterus that causes the buttocks to be the first part to emerge from the vagina.

bonding

The formation of a close connection, especially a physical bond, between parents and their newborn in the period shortly after birth.

blastocyst

The inner layer of cell that develops during the germinal period. These cells later develop into the embryo.

amnion

The life-support system that is a bag or envelope that contains a clear fluid in which the developing embryo floats.

trophoblast

The outer layer of cells that develops in the germinal period. These cells provide nutrition and support for the embryo.

postpartum period

The period after childbirth when the mother adjusts, both physically and psychologically, to the process of childbirth. This period lasts for about six weeks or until her body has completed its adjustment and returned to a near prepregnant state.

embryonic period

The period of prenatal development that occurs two to eight weeks after conception. During the embryonic period, the rate of cell differentiation intensifies, support systems for the cells form, and organs appear.

germinal period

The period of prenatal development that takes place in the first two weeks after conception. It includes the creation of the zygote, continued cell division, and the attachment of the zygote to the uterine wall.

afterbirth

The third stage of birth, when the placenta, umbilical cord, and other membranes are detached and expelled.

kangaroo care

Treatment for preterm infants that involves skin-to-skin contact.

doula

A caregiver who provides continuous physical, emotional, and educational support for the mother before, during, and after childbirth.

fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)

A cluster of abnormalities that appear in the offspring of mothers who drink alcohol heavily during pregnancy.

umbilical cord

A life-support system containing two arteries and one vein that connects the baby to the placenta.

placenta

A life-support system that consists of a disk-shaped group of tissues in which small blood vessels from the mother and offspring intertwine.

Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS)

A measure that is used in the first month of life to assess the newborn's neurological development, reflexes, and reactions to people and objects.

Apgar Scale

A widely used method of assessing the health od newborns at one and five minutes after birth. The Apgar Scale evaluates an infant's heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, body color, and reflex irritability.

organogenesis

Organ formation that takes place during the first two months of prenatal development.

natural childbirth

This method attempts to reduce the mother's pain by decreasing her fear through education about childbirth and relaxation techniques during delivery.

preterm infants

Those born before the completion of 37 weeks of gestation (the time between fertilization and birth).