Prenatal Development

ECE 497: Child Development Capstone

Fetal Development
First Trimester

How Does
Your Baby
Grow During
Pregnancy?

As cells come together and take shape, the brain and

spinal cord begin to form inside the placenta. The
heart begins to beat at week six, and all other major
organs begin development at week eight. By week
twelve, the fetus has sprouted arms, legs, hands, and
feet (ACOG, 2015).

Second Trimester

-Amanda Monteiro

Ear buds begin to develop and soon the embryo

can swallow and hear. As major organs continue
to develop, embryo can begin suckling reflex
and suckle on his/her hand in utero. Fetus is
active moving arms and legs in utero with
regular periods of wake and sleep. Brain is in
rapid development (ACOG, 2015).

Third Trimester
As muscles and bones reach a more solid formation,
the fetus can stretch its body out and kick its legs
outward. Different regions of the brain continue to
form. Lungs are maturing and preparing for function
outside of utero. By 37 weeks, fetus drops low into
the pelvis and prepares for birth (ACOG, 2015).

Atypical Development
The formation of DNA sometimes can cause mutations or rare pairings can occur. These result in genetic diseases that
may affect the fetus both in and outside of utero. This can cause both physical and mental complications for the child.
Mothers can receive genetic testing during pregnancy to determine whether the embryo is positive for any genetic
diseases (Berk, 2013). In addition, women who smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs put the embryo at risk for
atypical development. This can result in premature birth, slow growth, facial abnormities, and brain injuries (Berk, 2013).

Resources:
ACOG (2015, June). Prenatal
Development: How Your Baby
Grows During Pregnancy. Retrieved
from:
http://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs
/Prenatal-Development-How-YourBaby-Grows-During-Pregnancy#one
Berk, L. E. (2013). Child
development. Boston: Pearson
Education.

Social factors such as religion, wealth, or family, highly effect the health and
wellness of the developing fetus inside the mother. Factors such as being single,
poverty stricken, and young all have significant higher rates of mothers doing
drugs or alcohol. Statistically 25percent of mothers reported drinking during
pregnancy, most being in poverty. Mothers who are in stable relationships, better
income, and slightly older are usually better about prenatal care (Berk, 2013).

Cultural factors include those pertaining to beliefs, moral values, traditions, and
language of a person. For example, women living on a Native-American reserve
show an increase of 10 to 20 percent in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome of newborns. In
other parts of the world, such as Africa, pregnant women are joining together in
support groups and preparing for each other healthy meals to avoid prenatal and
infant malnutrition that is so very common in these cultural areas (Berk, 2013).