© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Chapter Seventeen: Becoming a Parent

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Parenting Issues for Couples What effect will pregnancy have on us as individuals and collectively? Why do we want to have a child? What effect will the child have on the images we have constructed for ourselves as adults? Can we afford a child and provide for its needs? How will be the responsibilities related to raising a child be divided?

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Parenting Issues for Couples (cont.) How will the child affect our professional careers? How will we rear our child with regards to religion, discipline, activities, etc.? Are we ready to part with much of the freedom associated with the early adult years? What plans have we made if, by chance, the infant has a serious birth defect? Are we capable of handling extra responsibilities if the child is disabled? Are we comfortable with the thought of bringing a child into the world?

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Becoming a Parent through a Stepfamily The Stepfamily Association of America recommends the following: Nurture and enrich the couple relationship Reveal and understand emotions Have realistic expectations Develop new roles Seek support and see the positive

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Parenting Across Cultures Fertility patterns across ethnic groups in America Amish families Jewish families Chinese American families Arab American families

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Obstacles to Fertilization Acid level in the vagina Cervical mucus thickness Location of cervical entrance for sperm Location of the correct fallopian tube for sperm Distance sperm travels “Upstream” travel Tubal walls may trap sperm

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Aids to Fertilization million sperm cells are deposited into the vagina during ejaculation Sperm are deposited near the cervical opening Male accessory glands help make the semen nonacidic Uterine contractions aid sperm movement in the proper direction Sperm cells move fairly quickly Sperm can live for days Cervical mucus is thin and watery at the time of ovulation

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Fertilization and Implantation

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Signs of Pregnancy (Presumptive) Missed menstrual period after sexual intercourse the previous month Morning sickness Increase in size and tenderness of breasts Darkening of the areolar tissue around the nipples

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Signs of Pregnancy (Probable) Increased frequency of urination Increased in the size of the abdomen Cervix becomes softer by the sixth week Positive pregnancy test

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Signs of Pregnancy (Positive) Determination of a fetal heart beat Feeling of the fetus moving (“quickening”) Observations of the fetus by ultrasound or optical viewers

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Agents that Can Damage a Fetus Rubella/herpes viruses Tobacco smoke Alcohol Certain OTC drugs Radiation Accutane (acne drug)

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Intrauterine Development Three trimesters (13 weeks each) First trimester Zygote Blastocyst Embryo Fetus (after 8 weeks) Second trimester: Organs develop, fetal heartbeat and bone structure evident, prominent weight gain in the mother Third trimester: Fetus increases weight from 2-3 pounds; absorption of major nutrients allowing increased growth and weight

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Maintaining a Healthy Pregnancy Arrange for prenatal care Consume a well-balanced diet Take a supplement with folic acid Exercise according to your physician’s recommendation Avoid and treat infections Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs Limit your caffeine intake Stay away from x-rays, hot tubs, saunas, toxic chemicals

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Three Stages of Labor Effacement/dilation of the cervix: Uterine contractions thin the cervix and enlarge the cervical opening Cervix opens to 10 cm during this stage Delivery of the fetus: Uterine contractions are aided by mother’s voluntary contractions of abdominal muscles Fetus moves through the birth canal Delivery of the placenta: Placenta detaches from uterine wall

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Stages of Labor and Childbirth

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Cesarean Deliveries (C-section) Fetus is removed from the uterus through the abdominal wall Possibly due to one or more of the following factors: Fetus is improperly positioned Mother’s pelvis is too small Fetus is especially large Fetus shows signs of distress Umbilical cord is compressed Placenta is being delivered before the fetus Mother’s health is at risk

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Genetic and Prenatal Counseling Women who plan to be pregnant after age 35 Couples who already have a child with an inherited disorder Women who have had three or more miscarriages Couples who think that their job, lifestyle or medical history might pose a risk Couples who understand that certain genetic defects occur in their ethnic group

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Testing for Fetal Abnormalities Ultrasound High-frequency sound waves Quad marker screen Blood test that predicts the likelihood of certain problems Amniocentesis Insertion of a long needle through the abdomen to extract amniotic fluid Chorionic villus sampling Extraction of cells from the placenta

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Causes of Infertility Low sperm count Poor sperm motility Sperm abnormalities Lack of ovulation Obstruction of fallopian tubes

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Enhancing Fertility Cold packs on the scrotum (men) Boxer shorts vs. briefs (men) Intercourse no more than every 36 hours preceding ovulation Frequent intercourse tends to lower sperm counts

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Treatments for Infertility Artificial insemination Surgical procedures Fertility drugs Assisted reproductive technology In vitro fertilization Gamete intrafallopian transfer Zygote intrafallopian transfer Intracytoplasmic sperm injection Ethical Questions?

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Options for Infertile Couples Surrogate parenting Adoption Foster parenting

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Cloning Techniques Procedures involve the following: Surgical removal of an egg from female donor Nucleus of the egg is removed Cell is taken from a cloning subject (male/female) Through an electrical jolt, the cell is fused with the enucleated egg, creating a clonal zygote Embryo is implanted in the womb of a surrogate mother After nine months, a genetically matched reproduction is born

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Cloning Reproductive cloning Not yet accomplished Banned in selected countries and states Therapeutic cloning Can be used to create stem cells

© 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Chapter Seventeen: Becoming a Parent