Prenatal Development and the Newborn
During the prenatal period, amazing sequences of events take place. Although fetal development occurs in a highly protected environment, many factors can affect prenatal development. The focus of this discussion is on the effects some of these factors have on the prenatal period and on the birth process, including possible birth complications. Once born, newborn infants have a remarkable set of capacities that are crucial for survival and for evoking adult attention and care (Berk, 2022).
Considering the development listed above, please respond to the following:
- Imagine that you are providing advice to expectant parents. If you had to provide advice on one specific teratogen to avoid and one specific maternal factor to consider, which ones would you describe to the expectant parents and why?
- Some infants experience birth complications. Describe an example of a birth complication, including the possible impact the complication may have on fetal or infant development.
- Newborns are competent little beings, interacting with their environment from birth. Which of the newborn’s capacities discussed in Chapter 4 of the textbook surprised you most?
