Pregnancy and Childbirth Chapter 11

Pregnancy and Prenatal Development 11:1 Pregnancy and Prenatal Development

Pregnancy Pregnancy is the condition of carrying a developing child within the uterus It begins with conception and implantation

Pregnancy Conception occurs when one sperm and one egg unite and chromosome combine this is called a zygote A five day old zygote is called a blastocyte and attaches itself to the uterine wall Two groups of cells form, one will be the placenta and the other the baby Two different eggs fertilized will result in fraternal twins Identical twins result wen a single fertilized egg divides into two identical zygotes

Signs of Pregnancy Missed menstrual cycle Feel very tired Morning sickness

Pregnancy Test Test in doctor’s office most accurate Six to eight weeks into pregnancy a pelvic examination by doctor will help confirm the pregnancy Proper Prenatal care The first three months are the most critical for proper development of a growing baby

Prenatal Development The prenatal period is the time from conception until birth 9 calendar months or 280 days The first two months the growing baby is called an embryo The last seven months it is called a fetus

The support Systems The embryo’s support system consists of four parts: The amniotic sac Amniotic fluid Placenta Umbilical cord

The Amniotic Sac and Fluid The amniotic sac is a membrane that surrounds and protects the baby until birth Amniotic Fluid Protect against injury Provides an even temperature Enables the fetus to move easily Aids in the birth of the baby

The Placenta The placenta is an organ in which the mother’s blood vessels meet with the baby’s. The mother’s and baby’s blood do not mix instead oxygen and nutrient pass through the walls Waste pass from baby to mother It breathes, digest nutrients and excretes waste for the baby

The Umbilical Cord The placenta connects to the embryo by the umbilical cord The flow of blood through the cord keeps it untangled

The Embryo Stage Specific development Heart, eyes, ears, hand and feet Poor nutrition and harmful substances can adversely affect the development during this stage Extremely critical period in the formation of the growing embryo

The Fetal Stage From the 3rd month to birth Organs grow and function and systems develop and work together Premature born before development is complete By the 9th month the fetus has reached full term and and is ready to be born

11:2 Prenatal Care

Sources of Health Care Obstetrician-gynecologist Family practitioner Certified nurse-midwife

Testing for Birth Defects AFP screening – blood test done between week 15th and 18th week Measure the amount of alphafetoprotein Ultrasound Amniocentesis

Diet and Nutrition Diet high in folate or folic acid Eat a well-balanced diet Weight gain on average is 25-35 pounds

Physical Activity Important for general health and well-being of pregnant woman Should discuss any exercise program with her doctor

Rest and Sleep Handling Stress The first 3 months and the last few weeks of pregnancy are usually the most tiring Should try to avoid long periods of continued stress Long term stress can affect the development of the fetus

Illness Common infectious disease STIs – Sexually transmitted infections Preeclampsia – high blood pressure, swelling and protein in the urine Stillbirth – the birth of a dead fetus

Use of drugs Drugs cross from the mother’s bloodstream into the babies The baby’s liver can not break down the drugs and will harm the baby If the mother is addicted to a drug, so will her baby A pregnant woman should consult her doctor before taking over the counter medications.

The Effects of Smoking Poisonous gases passed to the baby Fetus receives fewer nutrients and less oxygen

The Effects of Alcohol Alcohol is the third leading cause of birth defects in this country Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) – a pattern of physical and mental birth defects in children born of alcoholic mothers Short in stature Heads may be small Small eye openings Development is slow May be mentally retarded Many have behavioral problems

Effects of Radiation Women who suspect they are pregnant should not have x-rays

Miscarriage A baby born before the sixth month, too early to have developed enough for survival in the outside world 15-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage

11:3 Preparing for the Baby

Planning for the Baby’s Physical Needs Items the baby will need Clothing Place to sleep Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) Experts recommend: Placing infants on back to sleep Firm mattress to sleep on No pillows, blankets, or toys in the bed

Planning for Delivery Natural Childbirth – little or no anesthesia to block the mother’s pain Lamaze method help mothers control the pain of childbirth by focusing on a breathing techniques to help relax her muscles

Planning for Delivery Leboyer method a comforting outside environment similar to the fetus’s environment is provided at birth’s Lights dim Soft music played Played in a warm bath after and then dried and placed in a warm blanket

Planning for Delivery Cesarean delivery (C-section) surgical method of delivering a baby Labor abnormal or infant is in danger The baby’s head is large and the mother’s pelvis is small Mother had pervious C-sections The baby is breech birth – baby is positioned for birth buttocks first

Place of Delivery Hospitals Family-centered childbirth- allows father, children and other family members to be in the delivery room Birthing rooms- delivery rooms are a home like setting Rooming-in- the mother can have the baby stay in her room

Breast Feeding or Bottle Feeding Lactation is the production of milk in the breasts The benefits on chart 246 11-14 Bottle feeding is similar to breast milk in the amount of nutrients Less strain on the parents’ schedules because others can easily feed the baby

11:4 The Baby Arrives

The Stages of Labor Labor is the term used to describe the contractions of the uterus

The Stages of Labor First Stage of Labor Averaging 4-16 hours When contractions are regular, true labor has begun Continues until the contractions have fully dilated the cervix around 10 centimeters The baby’s head enters the birth canal

The Stages of Labor Second Stage of Labor Cervix is fully dilated and the baby’s head is in the birth canal Ends when the baby is born Lasting form 5-45 minutes Labor pains are most severe at this point

The Stages of Labor In the third stage of labor, the uterus continues to contract. This causes the afterbirth (the Placenta) to be expelled.

The Newborn Condition of the new born is assessed often with the Apgar scale. This is assessed at one minute then five minutes after the baby is born. They are looking at heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, color, and reflexes

Newborn Screenings Research has shown that some newborn deficiencies can be corrected if detected early.

Adjusting to the Newborn Postpartum period Bonding