Environmental Problems in Prenatal Development Essay

AbstractFor my research topic, I chose environ affable problems in antepartum development. I chose this topic beca accustom I acquit a great interest in prenatal development and the cargon the convey provides that depart negatively demand the foetus while it is still ontogeny. instruction about the problems that occur impart be an enormous advantage with my future venerati onenessr in nursing. Throughout my research, I hope to discover what the symptoms, of environ psychological influences, a foetus skunk contract during development.During prenatal development on that point ar so many problems that you nominatenot even count them. There argon two flakes of problems in development, genetic and environmental. The environmental problems be political campaignd by the cargon the m otherwise provides for her un natural cross bird. Whatever the mother puts her body through, she puts her child through. Teratogens be drugs or other substances that argon capable of restric ting the development of a fetus, causing kindred stigmas. Although the embryo is sensitive during all stages, there atomic number 18 more sarcastic time periods when the fetus is more susceptible to the defects. During these critical periods, there ar three major environmental problems that affect the fetus, which substructure cause cede defects, by the mothers use of drugs, diseases, and mental and physical wellness. There atomic number 18 three major teratogens that affect the fetus in development one is by the mothers use of drugs. There atomic number 18 many mothers throughout the world use and profane prescription drug, legal and unratified drugs.The use of prescription drugs basis be alone as dangerous as illegal drugs. Some mothers need to shit prescribed drugs for their own health problems. Women who apply seizures must take anticonvulsants to wiretap the seizures from occurring. The seizures the pregnant mother has passel cause just as lots damage than th e drugs they are taking (Boyd and Bee, 2009, p. 72). heavy(predicate) women taking Trimethadione for their seizures can cause the fetus to obtain many progressive defects such(prenominal) as eyebrows wrought like a V, cleft lip, cleft palate, and having delays in their development (Slater and Lewis, 2006, p. 9). other drug pregnant mothers qualification be prescribed for would be communication channel thinners, because of feasible dividing line clots, to prevent heart attacks or strokes (DirectGov, 2010).An expecting mother who has been taking Warfarin to slow mickle squanderer clots should assume that her child can be born with mental ineptness and an unnormally small(a) head, cognize as microcephaly (Slater and Lewis, 2006, p. 9). Certain babes with microcephaly develop normally and bedevil the intellect as an ordinary child. Typically, infants with microcephaly perhaps can arrive at facial distortions, mental retardation, deferred motor skills, hyperactivity, dw arfism, seizures, difficulty with balancing and coordination, and other neurologic irregularities (DirectGov, 2010). Every mother go acrosss pall and nausea. Decades ago, doctors would prescribe Thalidomide, a sedative, to treat the fatigue and nausea.After these mothers gave birth, doctors allow detected that the Thalidomide has many defects on the fetus. Infants were born with completely half developed or absent arms or legs (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010 p. 1). Antibiotics are normally safe to take when consulted with a doctor. Pregnant women take antibiotics for trustworthy types of transmittals. One often prescribed antibiotic to pregnant women is Tetracycline which can cause damage to the infant such as yellowing or graying of the teeth. It to a fault can be passed through breast milk and if the child infant drinks the milk, there emergence be a chance they might affect the growth of bones and teeth (Cerner Multum, 2009). disrespect the abuse of prescription drugs, there is in like manner the use of legal drugs. There are many women who are pregnant and smoking. The use of nicotine during pregnancy will cause a some deficiencies in the infants development. Nicotine users whitethorn devote the chance to pay substantiate an ectopic pregnancy, where the botch connects to the fallopian tubes instead of the uterus. This could result in a miscarriage. Mothers who smoke, throughout the entire pregnancy, can give birth to a stillborn or child with low birth weight (Bucher, 2010). The long term effect on children, whose mothers smoked during pregnancy, could develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Boyd & Bee, 2009, p. 74). assist deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that causes absent- mindedness and spontaneity (ADAM, 2011). Another illegal drug that is very extremely abused in pregnancy is alcohol. Mothers who are heavy drinkers or alcoholics are highly likely to give birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Fetal alcohol syndrome is a problem with mental and physical growth that occurs when the mother abuses alcohol during pregnancy. Infants with fetal alcohol syndrome have many symptoms.They include stunted growth before and after birth, reduce muscle usage and dexterity, deferred mental and physical development, possible mental retardation and heart weaknesses including ventricular septal defect and atrial septal defect (Adam, 2011). These children will also have very distinctive facials features that stand out. Infants will typically have smaller heads, a flattened nose with a big space between the nose and mouth, narrow eyeball and small upper jaw Depending on the period in pregnancy, alcohol might cause a miscarriage and premature birth (Boyd & Bee, 2009, p.74).Along with prescription and legal drugs, illegal drugs are especially dangerous during the course of pregnancy. So many people become attached to drugs and have a hard-fought time getting clean. Expecting mothers who are hoo ked on any type of illegal drug can be incredibly damaging to the infant. cannabis is the most common manipulated illegal drug. Infants born to mothers that are marijuana users have more trouble concentrating, problems sleeping, and a short term memory (Boyd & Bee, 2009, p. 73). extra drugs that are mistreated are diacetylmorphine and dolophine hydrochloride. Mothers prone to these two drugs will have babies addicted to them as well and are at possible seek of miscarriage, premature birth and preterm death (Boyd & Bee, 2009, p. 73).The symptoms of the heroin addicted infants are underprivileged growth, premature birth and stillbirth (March of Dimes Foundation, 2011). After birth, these addicted babies go into withdrawal and suffer from bad temper, intense shuddering, vomiting, seizures and sleep complications (Boyd & Bee, 2009, p.73). Babies who are addicted to methadone have almost similar symptoms to those addicted to heroin. The unlikeness is that methadone addicted infants have a higher birth weight compared to infants addicted to heroin. Methadone babies are comforted more easily then heroin babies (March of Dime Foundation, 2011). A drug also abused by anticipant mothers is cocaine. Cocaine can be in two formations, both powder form or crack they equally have the same set up on babies.Many problems of cocaine use during pregnancy are extremely threatening. These problems include placenta problems, such as, placental abruption which is when the placenta pulls away from the uterus earlier labor starts. When this happens, there could be an exceeding amount of bleeding the frustrate whitethorn be deprived of oxygen and a proper blood flow. The symptoms after birth can be harsh for the infants, for instance, they experience jumpiness, irritability, and are very easily frightened. These infants cry often because they have trouble finding comfort with their mothers or caregivers. Luckily for these babies, they ordinarily do not experience these s ymptoms through their entire spirit, normally just first month of life (March of Dimes, 2011).Besides the issues that are caused by pregnant mothers drug use, there are many complications with the mothers diseases. There are three antithetical types of transmission systems that could be passed down from mother to child, congenital infections, perinatal infections, and postnatal infections. inherent infections are passed through the placenta and infect embryo. These infections include toxoplasmosis, syphilis, hepatitis B, Coxsackie virus, Epstein virus, chickenpox virus, human parvovirus, Rubella, herpes virus, and Cytomegalovirus (Koo, 2009). Rubella is also know as the German rubeola and expecting mothers can pass this down to her infant in utero. Symptoms the fetus whitethorn develop are cataracts, hearing loss, and heart defects. CMV, also known as Cytomegalovirus, is a sexually transmitted disease and is a type of herpes virus. Having this disease while pregnant can be se vere to the fetus life and cause eye, ear and brain defects in the early stages of prenatal development (Boyd & Bee, 2009, p. 74).Infants who developed CMV after birth are slight likely to have harsh symptoms then those developed in utero. Those symptoms are vision and hearing loss and possible cognitive learning disabilities (Koo, 2009). herpes virus is another congenital infection that can be extremely catastrophic in the development of the fetus. Mothers give with herpes can pass down to her child many unpleasant symptoms. The significant symptoms include eye diseases, pachydermal brain damage and skin lacerations (Koo, 2009). Substantial symptoms of herpes include seizures, neurologic complications, microcephaly and microophthalmia. Microophthalmia is an eye abnormality that occurs before birth. This condition makes both eyes smaller than an average child and in some individuals their eyes may be nonexistent connected with blindness (Slater & Lewis, 2006, p. 9).The perinata l infections, also known as the infection that happens in labor and delivery, take place in the birth canal while the baby is in the process of macrocosm born. Many of these infections are sexually transmitted diseases such as CMV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, HPV (genital warts), and crowd B streptococci. Mothers with gonorrhea giving birth to their child will impart the infection to her child. The main symptom the infant could experience is difficulties with the eyes and possibly goes blind. The mother can encounter complications including miscarriage, early labor and likelihood of obtaining human immunodeficiency virus ( screw up Center consultive Board, 2007, p. 1). Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Mothers with this disease are capable of passing the disease to her child through delivery.When delivering the child vaginally, the infant could contract serious eye infections. Infants open(a) to chlamydia also have the possibility of ac quiring pneumonia. Fortunately, if treated properly children will usually do well and have a suitable recovery. If mothers get under ones skin treatment before delivery there would be a greater chance of the infant not obtaining the infection altogether (Baby Center Advisory Board, 2012). Expecting mothers with HPV do not really transfer the infection to their infants but if it is transferred, the babys system will normally disperse it from their bodies. However, women with genital warts may transfer this virus to their child and can be extremely life- threatening. These infants infected with genital warts form warts in their throat causing respiratory papillomatosis. The children with respiratory papillomatosis must foregather laser treatment to stop the warts from multiplying and obstructing the childs airway.Doctors say that the women with HPV can deliver their children safely with little or no complications (WebMD, 2012, p. 1-2). Along with congenital and perinatal infections, postnatal infections are also particularly hazardous. Postnatal infections are caused after birth and are usually break through breastfeeding. These infections include CMV, HIV, and group B streptococci. HIV can also be transmitted congenital and perinatal but HIV can be transferred postnatal via breastfeeding (Stewart, 2012). Babies who obtain this virus normally become gloomy within the first two years of their life. This illness will spill the infants immune system which makes them easily susceptible to getting other virus than the average baby (Boyd & Bee, 2009, p. 74-75). Another illness that infants get through after birth is group B streptococci (GBS).Group B strep is bacteria found in a womans vagina. GBS is transferred to infants after birth with symptoms of issues with the respiratory system, and erratic cardio problems. These babies may also have severe digestive tract problems. Along with these issues, the most familiar complications call for sepsis, an increasing amount of bacteria in the bloodstream, pneumonia, and meningitis, a bacterial infection of membranes concealing the brain and spinal cord. Group B streptococci usually will occur earlier than later after the delivery and have fewer problems if it appears later (American gestation period Association, 2011). There are many problems poignant the fetus that arise from the mothers mental and physical health throughout her pregnancy. The age of the mother can make an immense difference in child birth.Mothers over the age of 30 five can have many complications to her health and childs health. Women who push back pregnancy to later in life have the risks of developing gestational diabetes, infertility, possible miscarriage, early labor and extensive bleeding during labor. High blood pressure and chronic illnesses are also potential threats in older mothers (Baby Center aesculapian Advisory Board, 2012). These infants have a chance of developing chromosomal defects, cardiac abnormaliti es and growth retardation (Boyd & Bee, 2009). On the other hand, teenaged pregnancy has just as many risks as women over thirty five. Teenage girls who are pregnant sometimes do not receive proper prenatal care, which can lead to issues in the fetus development. Pregnant teens can also experience high blood pressure which could result in preterm labor. Preterm labor may cause infants to have cognitive, respiratory and other physical complications.Teens that go into preterm have a chance of low birth weight infants that might not be fully developed. Teenagers are highly likely to obtain STDs and pass them to their infants during delivery which can be vital in their growth and development. Young mothers are potential victims for postpartum depression, making them feel alone, isolated and feeling like no one is there for them (Nihira, 2010, p.1-2). Along with age, other maternal influences affect the fetus such as emotions and ill mothers who go through beam of light for medical purp oses. gestation period can mess with womens emotions tremendously. Mothers who are really stressed or have anxiety might have troubles eating properly and may be prone to viruses which can cause the infant to be born with low birth weight.Children born to really distraught mothers will usually develop slower than the average child (Boyd & Bee, 2009, p. 77). Pregnant women with an inconsistent metabolism could have heavier infants and are more likely to have problems early in development (Slater & Lewis, 2006, p. 9). Women with certain medical problems may need to go for radiation although they are pregnant. Radiation while pregnant can affect the fetus by killing the cells in its body, injuring the chromosomes, and retarding the mental and physical growth (Brent, 2011).Despite all of these developmental problems each infant goes through, the illness and defects can be somewhat prevented if treated early in the pregnancy. Each woman should prize twice about what they put through t heir bodies when expecting a baby. Environmental problems are life threatening and women need to consult with their doctors immediately to lessen the risk of their child developing any symptoms. There are critical periods when the fetus is the most vulnerable to these environmental influences. Even though there are critical periods, the mothers use of drugs, diseases, and mental and physical health are very serious through the entire pregnancy.BibliographyAdam Medical Encyclopedia. 2011. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. 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