Prenatal to Birth - Coursework Example

Prenatal to Birth One of the factors that have garnered massive attention from psychologists and the mass media is the process of development that occurs from prenatal to birth and the various factors that affect the fetus during this stage. The fetus undergoes a complex set of interactions with their environment before they develop the optimum reflexes and mental skills. This paper shall candidly and comprehensively elucidate the developmental stages prior to birth and provide a profound understanding of how the fetus and/or the mother interacts with the environment and how it affects the fetus’s cognitive and physical development. It provides the different risk factors that can be posed during the prenatal period and the socio-motor development of the child according to Piaget’s theory. Participants The purpose of this comprehensive analysis on child development stages is based upon researching and reporting regarding a child’s physical, cognitive and socioemotional development during the preoperational period. The focus of this assessment is a fetus and a pregnant mother. The research shall use approximately 10 expectant women who shall aid in collection of important information about the prenatal to birth stage. Procedure The expectant mothers shall be asked to reveal imperative information through questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires shall contain structured and unstructured questions whose answers will be analyzed in a bid to formulate a concrete and reliable conclusion. Face-to-face interviews shall as well be conducted to embolden the responses that shall be obtained from completed questionnaires. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis of monographs that contain important information about parenting and prenatal fetal development shall be conducted to candidly understand the various changes and challenges that the fetus undergoes. Introduction Prenatal period is one of the most important phases of development. It comprises of three stages namely; germinal, embryonic, and foetal stages. Prenatal psychology studies the foundation of emotions, heath in development, emotions and responses. Importantly, it considers how the environment affects the foetus and how the foetus affects the mother. These are important aspects in understanding various responses in a foetus’ development and their future life. The foetal development within the womb is characterized by the subsequent physical development of the baby and this process also leaves an impact upon the physical and emotional health of the mother. The first month of pregnancy marks the development of the embryo transitioning towards regular movement when entering the second month and initial physical development. Physical growth becomes evident and distinct in the third month and body growth reaches about 3 inches, followed by an approximated growth of additional 2.5 inches in fourth month. Eventually facial development of the baby occurs in the fifth month of pregnancy and onwards while, the sixth month marks substantial gain in weight and skin development. By the seventh month the baby is able to utilize his/her sense of vision and the development of lungs is reached by the following month. During the ninth month when the baby is due physical development before birth has been attained however, it is variable for each delivery. Body changes during pregnancy are also variable for a mother and may be associated with several factors. Physical changes marked by aches in the body maybe experienced in addition with psychological changes like altering sleep patterns. Some expectant mothers also experience morning sickness. Such a feeling deters their ability to effectively provide the fetus with the vital nutrients required for fetal development and mentally strains the developing fetus. 1. Child identity The research shall focus on a 1-day-old French boy called Martin Raymond and his mother in a bid to understand the changes that occur in a foetus and immediately after birth. 2. 1. Physical Development 2.1 Risk Factors Imminent risk factors which are posed to the child encompass aspects which are a part of the physical environment and the social issues which may promote the emergence of disease and physical problems. As per different researches conducted by authors, it is seen that the prenatal period forms an important part of the process of growing up in a child. The prenatal period determines as to which child would be particularly susceptible to environmental risks accordingly. As researched by Yumoto et al (2008), the foetus that is exposed to substance abuse is more susceptible to the environmental risks as compared to the ones who have not been exposed. This clearly shows that substance abuse can form an important risk factor in the social and mental growing of a child (Yumoto et al 2008). The mother’s use of drugs and other harmful substances hampers the mental and cognitive development of the foetus and may make the foetus to be born prematurely. Notably, prenatal damage caused by drugs such as heroin, tobacco, cocaine, and alcohol are is common and severe. These drugs, also called psychoactive drugs, have a lethal effect on prenatal development instigating problems such as compromised brain development and underweight. After birth, children exposed to drugs when they were in the womb show signs of withdrawal. These signs include erratic eating, startling, crying, and difficulty in sleeping (Figueiras et al., 2012). Exposure to drugs during the prenatal stage may affect the child even in their future life. It may lead to lack of concentration, developmental delays, increased irritability, and pitiable self-control. These risk factors can be categorized into several other forms in which they can affect the physical ability of the infant/child as they grow up too. A research carried out by Schneider et al 2008 showed that prenatal exposure to alcohol and prenatal stress can lead to an increased withdrawal response to a specific tactile stimulation. This clearly shows that stress can also form an important risk factor for the prenatal development of a child (Schneider et al 2008; Schneider et al 2004). The stress caused in the prenatal period can be a leading cause of anxiety. This anxiety can further have deteriorating effects on the overall growth of the embryo. Anxiety is also known to play an important role in the mental and physical competence of the fetus as it is going through the developmental stages. Anxiety and cortisol have been found to be co-related as higher levels of cortisol can lead to increased growth rate of the child as per the age of the fetus whereas decreased levels of cortisol can lead to mental and physical retardation of the child. In a research conducted by Davis & Sandman it was found that prenatal anxiety can lead to slower mental scores of the children and therefore can play as a very important risk factor in the developmental history (Davis & Sandman 2010). As stated previously, the identification of possible risk factors is associated with a range of contributing elements which are present within the biological and social environment of the child. While, biological elements which risk the physical development of the child may be linked with genetic conditions or other factors as contributed by present developmental risk and even unavoidable in certain circumstances, social risks are of a dissimilar nature such that they are avoidable or at least controllable in a majority of circumstances. 2.2 Growth of Body and Brain The growth of a fetus begins when the fertilized egg begins to develop as an embryo itself. During the gestational period the fetus undergoes a complex series of events through which organogenesis along with the maintenance of the organ functions take place. It is during the second week that the development of the central nervous system takes place. The embryonic disc is composed of three layers i.e. the ectoderm, endoderm and the mesoderm. The central nervous system is formed by the ectoderm primarily. The ectoderm of the embryonic disc folds upon itself to form a tube known as the neural tube. This neural tube is cylindrical and has different portions which develop into the brain accordingly. The upper portion of the neural tube forms the brain and the middle portion forms the brain stem. The upper portion further develops into forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain. These structures become visible by the fifth week of gestation giving a complete picture of brain growth. It is during these growth stages of the brain that several risk factors can pose a threat to cause genetic abnormalities to the fetus itself (Martin & Dombrowski 2008; Dipietro et al, 2010). The maturation of brain systems is characterized by the identification of diverse readings and outcomes regarding the stage at which the growth of brain currently exists. This claim is evidenced by generating the outcomes of several studies on the subject of brain processes which assert that intellectual development occurs in an alternating and sporadic manner that is marked by the existence of spurts and increased levels (Hudspeth and Pribram, 1990). However, in accordance with the classification of stages of cognitive development under the Piagetian framework, the trends in maturation of intellectual capabilities are effectively coordinated across all regions of the brain followed by the onset of a certain level of volatility upon the completion of pre-pubertal stages (Hudspeth and Pribram, 1990). The second week of gestation starts is characterized by development of other systems in the fetus too and this lasts up to 9 weeks until birth in accordance to the nature of growth of the baby. It is during these times that the fetus is most vulnerable to infections and stress that can be avoided with due diligence and care by the healthcare workers. 2.3 Motor Development According to the research conducted by Fjørtoft (2004) the advancement of motor development is associated with the integration of external factors which determine the extent of a fetus’s motor fitness at a given stage. This notion postulates that the impact of the external environment in establishing and determining the extent of motor development is fundamental. Facets of motor development under this particular empirical research comprised of balance capabilities, coordination abilities, projection of diverse trends in movement and flexibility amongst several other components. In the early weeks of development, the foetus portrays very little physical activity. By the time the foetus attains 10 to 11 weeks, reflexes appear and legs and arms start moving as the baby is covered in vernix (a waxy substance). After the foetus attains 24 weeks, the corticospinal axon stretches to reach the spinal cord at the lower cervical. The axons gradually innervate with the grey matter and activity and development of motor neurons increases. At around the 25th week, purposeful monosynaptic corticomotoneuronal prognoses becomes apparent and the foetus becomes more active. After 5 months, finger movements start developing and an increase in limb activity is experienced. These movements are felt by the mother in the form of labour pains that are recorded as one of the most distressing facts about pregnancy. The mothers experience excessive pain as the foetus practices how to move and play. As the foetus continues to explore their world, and birth time becomes closer, the foetus gains muscular strength and movement increases. 3. Cognitive Development This section comprises of an examination of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development with respect to pre-operational stage. Moreover, the scope and extent of language development under this phase has also been analyzed in this segment. The Piaget’s model stresses the fact that the baby is actively interacting with the environment in the womb and the womb can thus be perceived to be a class room. 3.1 Piaget’s Stages Piagetian theoretical framework on cognitive development identifies and acknowledges the critical and fundamental role of children to drive the progression of the process, whereby, the theorist identifies children as being “…active participants in learning” by interacting with the external environment with their senses (Hurley, 2006). Moreover, Piaget also asserts that the child’s movement from one stage of cognitive development to the succeeding phase is a consequence of various factors that include: Cognitive maturation and brain development Acquisition of experience Attainment of learning through the means of social interaction and teaching (Hurley, 2006) Given the factors that affect the notion of cognitive development in a foetus and after birth, Piagetian framework classifies each stage by defining the age boundaries or age groups. This concept essentially entails that as a gradual process elements of cognitive development begin to emerge in the child during the entire course of the specified period, therefore, implying that cognitive development occurs steadily through the course of how the aforementioned factors impact the child. Under Piaget’s model of cognitive development, the 6th month is categorized under the classification of the ‘pre-operational stage’. Intellectual demonstration at this stage occurs through the utilization of symbols and language function which is acquired during this phase (Huitt and Hummel, 2003). The mention of symbolic functions that are incorporated within the child’s cognitive development during the pre-operational stage comprises of abilities such as locating concealed items, carrying out imitations and also participating in play activities which require the demonstration of symbolic functions without the use of language (Hurley, 2006). Additionally, a study of taste and olfaction reveals evidence of prenatal memory and learning. Previously, it was assumed that olfaction requires oxygen and many physicians believed that it could not take place prior to birth. However, recent research has recognized the multifaceted connections of chemosensory receptors in the uterus. Chemical compounds from the surrounding environment and/or the mother’s diet flows through the placenta and reaches the placenta where they are absorbed by the baby. Others reach the foetus by flowing through the nasal mucosa (DeLoache, 2007). The foetus becomes familiar with the mother’s diet by breathing and swallowing amniotic fluid. Therefore, babies are quite aware of their mother’s milk even before post-nasal experience with breast milk and prefer it to any other milk. When the foetus comes to the external world, they already know what to expect in terms of diet and any abrupt changes in the diet will significantly upset the newly born baby. They have already learnt how it tastes and permanently saved it in their young mind. Piaget indicates that the foetus shares in its mother’s responsive state. They foetus is directly affected by the emotions of its mother. For instance, research conducted in Australia found out that foetus participated in their mothers’ emotional upset that was caused by watching a 30 minutes segment of a disturbing holly wood movie. Children recognize the earlier experience that was gained in the uterus up to 3 months after birth (DeLoache, 2007). Moreover, during birth, babies whose mothers had experienced depression during pregnancy show some degree of depression that is proportional to that experienced by the mother during pregnancy. The depression also affects the foetus’ physical development and their weight remains comparatively low. Doctors advise that expectant mothers should avert depressing situations to avoid impacting negatively on the foetal development. 3.2 Language Development The process of language development can arguably be identified as the most significant characteristic of the pre-operational stage. The acquisition of language during this phase represents the improvement which has been achieved by the fetus in the sphere of mental depiction and representation (Piaget, 1972). The progress of language development encompasses the fetus’s ability to give meaning to thoughts. Statistical research indicates that 90% of children learn their native language by the 16th week of the gestational period after the development of hearing. Sound waves pass directly through the body and sound waves reaches the fetus but with some minimal distortions. The foetus can identify the mother’s voice as soon as they are 17 weeks old. Acoustic spectroscopy further establishes prenatal learning of the mother tongue. Fascinatingly, the cry of a baby already contains some form of voice characteristics, rhythms, and speech features by the 27th week of gestation. The speech features and voice characteristics portrayed by the foetus are quite similar to that portrayed by their mother. During birth, the child’s reaction depends on what was heard in the utero. Research found that Russian babies prefer watching persons speaking Russian while French babies prefer watching persons speaking French, a factor that indicates how significant the utero environment and the mother are in influencing a child’s language preference and development (DeLoache, 2007). Therefore, in the transition from the sensorimotor stage where the foetus first begins to show signs of possessing language and communication capabilities, the arrival in the pre-operational stage marks the maturation of language development and language use with expansion in vocabulary and engaging in communication (Lutz and Huitt, 2004). 4. Socioemotional Development 4.1 Parenting Effective parenting during early childhood is fundamental for contributing towards the cognitive and social development of the foetus. According to the study conducted by Landry, Smith and Swank (2003) which focused upon exploring the influence and consequences of responsive parenting on foetus, the demonstration of responsive parenting to foetus’ life contributed towards escalated rates of intellectual and social maturation. The focus of empirical literature on parenting during early and middle childhood has been rooted in understanding the impact of parenting behaviours on the cognitive and social development of children (Lindsay et al. (2006). It states that parenting plays a key role in monitoring the child’s activity even prior to birth. Moreover, the parenting as a critical factor during childhood is also responsible for maintaining the wellbeing of the child as advances its life. The research was conducted through a sample of women 87 in number by interview and questionnaires. The results shown that during pregnancy, about 12 weeks of pre-delivery, their level of perinatal depression causes foetus unpredictable strain. These factors not only encompass the social advantages of living in negative emotional conditions but also stem from the relationship between the parents and the quality of mothering. Therefore, by adopting responsible parenting under disadvantaged circumstances parents can reduce the impact of negative circumstances on their unborn babies and enhance the possibility of securing their psychological and mental wellbeing in the long run. Mothers’ anxiety produces some certain chemicals that affects nervous system and in some cases the hormones produced by stress tend to constrict blood vessels leading to complications in the foetus. 4.2 Friends/Ability to Play Twins portray definite gestures and routines at six months of their infancy period. The signals stay into their postpartum ages. For instance, twins were realized playing cheek-cheek on opposite side of the separating tissue. A foetus that is active in womb is most likely to be physically fit and this improves its brain development, coordination and general body balance such that when born can actively participate in playing with others. According to Hymel et al., 1990, it is possible for a child to experience hesitancy and shyness in bonding with other children because of a range of internalizing problems of prior to birth and hence lack of acceptance within a group. Another model which has been put forward by Schneider, Atkinson and Tardif (2001) proposes the presence of a correlation between childhood peer relationships and parenting as an indicator of whether the child is readily willing to become a part of a group or accept the entry of other individuals in his/her life. Under a modern setting Plowman and Stephen (2005) suggest that a child born with aggressiveness can be rejected by its peer due to weird character that it got in its gestation period. Moreover, the research comments that given the rise in the symbolic function of children during their stages of development in early to middle childhood the notion of ‘pretend play’ can also be promoted to stimulate creativity, innovation and originality (Plowman & Stephen, 2005). A foetus that is well taken care of by being given all the vital support develop good communication skills, can be able to control anger and good in socializing hence can be able to keep friends. In conclusion, the foetus affects the mother’s health and is equally affected by the mother’s health and the immediate environment surrounding it. It produces responses that are significant in determining their infancy development as well as determining their future life. The mother plays a critical role in shaping a foetus life, development, cognitive and other important social aspects. Mothers should therefore avoid engaging in a activities that will compromise the development and wellbeing of their unborn babies. References Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Top of Form Top of Form Davis, E. P., & Sandman, C. A. (2010). The timing of prenatal exposure to maternal cortisol and psychosocial stress is associated with human infant cognitive development. Child Development, 81, 1.) DeLoache, J. S. (2007). Rapid change in the symbolic functioning of very young children. Science, 238(4833), 1556-1557. DiPietro, J. A., Kivlighan, K. T., Costigan, K. A., Rubin, S. E., Shiffler, D. E., Henderson, J. L., & Pillion, J. P. (January 01, 2010). Prenatal antecedents of newborn neurological maturation. Child Development, 81, 1.) Figueiras et al., (2012). 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