Psychology in Prenatal Development - Essay Example

Development Psychology This paper evaluates prenatal development as articulated in the article “What scientists have learned about those amazing first nine months – And what it means for mothers” by Nash, Bjerklie, Park and Cray. The article basically acknowledges the role of biomedical technologies in understanding fetus development, articulating the development process of a fetus over its nine-month lifespan in the womb. This would be integrated with the findings from the book, Development Psychology, authored by J. Mahmud, specifically drawing from its second chapter which focuses on prenatal development. According to Mahmud (2005), prenatal period is the development period before birth with the development itself referred to as Gestation. With support from other sources, the integration of these two sources provide the brief in this paper Biomedical technologies have made it possible to monitor the development of fetus in the womb. Ultrasound and CT data provide appropriate images that have given the understanding of how fetus develops in the womb from the first week until delivery. Nash, Bjerklie, Park and Cray (2002) give an account of how the fetus starts to develop within the first week, showing an image of nothing bigger than a grape until two months when much construction of organs including the brain, heart, stomach, umbilical cord, esophagus, kidney, lungs, vertebrae and liver takes place respectively. This would also involve the development of the rib cage, ears and eyes up to around the 84th day when the fetus could be spotted even sucking its thumb. Mahmud (2005) critically evaluates these steps from fertilization, involving the formation of a single cell from the fusing of a sperm and ovum, a process that would most likely occur 14 days before the menstrual period. The scholar further categorizes the nine months into three stages: the germinal or ovum stage between day 10 and 14; embryonic stage between 2 and 8 weeks where the major body developments articulated by Nash take effect; and the fetal stage lasting to delivery when critical developments of an infant occur. This literature provides critical insights into how a child’s sex is determined from the pairing of sex chromosomes, such that when X-chromosome carrying sperm fertilizes an ovum, the resultant XX zygote pair would be female and Y-chromosome carrying sperm would form XY zygote, a male. Thus, technology has greatly contributed to the understanding of fetal development. Because of this technological capability, fetus development can be explained decisively. Mahmud (2005) documents amniocentesis, umbilical cord assessment, chorionic villus sampling, CVS, and maternal blood tests as approaches used to detect defects on the fetus from the amniotic fluid. This has widely imparted on the abortion debate with pro-life activists accessing evidence of beginning of human life earlier than had been thought and pro-choice activists appreciating that doctors are now well placed to determine fetal defects early enough to prescribe abortion at the right time (Nash et al., 2002 ). With the trend observed in Spain where the New York Times Editorial Team (2014) reports a restriction of abortion to rape cases and grave health danger to mothers only, excluding the historical fetal abnormalities as a reason for legal abortion, the debate seems to rage on. However, the technological advancement in biomedicine enabling prenatal monitoring would continue providing the needed statistics to utmost accuracy. Moreover, biomedical technology has made it possible to learn of genetics involvement in fetus development. Studies using animal samples have made it possible to appreciate the genes responsible for fetus development. In the article under review, Nash et al. (2002) give an example of homeotic homeobox, HOX genes discovered in 1980, necessary for normal formation of body organs in all animals through its interaction with other genes. Heredity endowment is the basis for future development according to Mahmud (2005). It is a critical factor for prenatal development because heredity has been noted to influence the physical appearance. In support of this, Parncutt (2006) observes that obesity is largely considered to be hereditary. Heredity also affects intelligence hence the difference in IQ levels among different people. Nonetheless, the mother needs to provide favorable conditions to foster favorable hereditary potentials. Nutrition is a critical factor influencing development. Lack of proper portions of such nutrients for the fetus could result in defects. Mahmud (2005) picks up this argument on nutrition from the dietary perspective, claiming that inadequate diet for another would cause malnutrition in the offspring, premature birth or death of the offspring. Mildly, it could result in deformations and underdevelopment. Furthermore, the scholar argues that a mother lacking sufficient portions of vitamins, minerals and fats would suffer from diseases and infections likely to deter the growth of the child in various ways. This supports the observation by Nash et al. (2005) noting that proper nutrition is mandatory for an expectant mother as maternal undernourishment has long term health effects to the resultant baby. It stunts the growth of such a baby, small people at birth being associated with fewer kidney cells for life thus the risk of renal failure or sickness. For example, insufficiency of water soluble vitamin B could result in neural-tube defects because of the role of this nutrient, also referred to as folic acid, in promoting the self replication of the DNA of the dividing cell. Another nutrient, vitamin A, is crucial for the nervous system development. The researchers go further to indicate that excessive portions of these nutrients could also cause undesirable results, an observation also observed by Wu, Bazer, Cudd, Meininger and Spencer (2004). For instance, excessive vitamin A could be toxic. Therefore, fetal development requires adherence to mother’s and fetus nutritional requirements, but to specific portions. Finally, the article talks of environmental factors as critical to influencing fetal development. Environmental neurotoxins and PCBs have particularly been noted to threaten fetus development. A myriad of chemicals exist that also threaten fetus development, including plastics and fungicides. Sources of such environmental components include what the mother inhales, drinks or eats (Nash et al., 2006). Mahmud supports this argument on the importance of the environment in prenatal development, noting that “alcoholics may be largely born, not made” (2005, 59). Exposing the fetus to alcohol could thus lead to the birth of an alcoholic. Excessive intake of drugs and tobacco and exposure to emotional shocks and falls are some other environmental factors that could deter fetus development. In addition to illegal drugs, aspirin and thalidomide have serious effects of fetal development. These environmental factors could also be transmitted by the father with marijuana, tobacco smoke and some pesticides noted to propagate production of abnormal sperms. Even so, the development of fetus is protected from these deterrent environmental factors through various defense mechanisms. Specifically, Nash et al. (2006) documents the placenta, a temporary organ that develops from fertilized eggs, as the “traffic cop” controlling what reaches the fetus. It mobilizes natural killer cells that patrol its perimeters to ensure no harmful substances reach the fetus. Additionally, it uses its molecular pumps to expel poisons before such could damage the embryo, explaining the nausea-inducing hormone, popularly associated with morning sickness (Parncutt, 2006). Even so, this defense mechanism could at times be breached by microbes, heavy metals, organic pollutants and drugs. Therefore, fetus development is a detailed and well coordinated process where divergence from the norm and the expected conditions cause defects in fetuses. According to Nash et al. (2002), improper development of the heart could cause a hole in the fetus’ heart or missing chambers and valves. Partly developed brain could result from failed full development of neural tubes. Other reasons for fetal defects according to Mahmud (2005) include exposure of the fetus to harmful environment such as chemicals and improper nutrition, either excess or deficient. Some defects could also be hereditary. This brief is therefore critical in appreciating the role of biomedical technology in enabling humans to understand fetal development. Its articulation of the development process and the intervening factors plays a crucial role in propagating proper prenatal care. References Editorial Team. (2014, January 17). Spain’s alarming abortion debate. The New York Times. Retrieved 15 March 2014 from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/opinion/spains-alarming-abortion-debate.html?_r=0 Mahmud, J. (2005). Development psychology. New Delhi: A. P. H. Publishing Corporation. Nash, J. M., Bjerklie, D., Park, A. & Cray, D. (2002). What scientists have learned about those amazing first nine months – And what it means for mothers. Inside the Womb, 160 (21). Retrieved 14 March 2014 from http://coe.winthrop.edu/marchelc/Brain_Development/Brain_pages/aarticles/inside_the_womb.htm Parncutt, R. (2006). Prenatal development. In G. E. McPherson (Ed.). The child as musician (pp. 1 – 31). Oxford, OX: Oxford University Press. Wu, G., Bazer, F. W., Cudd, T. A., Meininger, C. J. & Spencer, T. E. (2004). Maternal nutrition and fetal development. The Journal of Nutrition, 184 (9), 2196 – 2172. Read More