Psychology
Prenatal Development and Teratogens
Introduction
Several factors may negatively affect the development of the fetus such as maternal diseases and harmful environmental elements. These factors are referred to as teratogens that are believed to cause defects on the fetus and other complications after birth. There are cases when a female of very young age got pregnant because of radical lifestyle. For example, a 15-year old girl who is sexually active for two years and exposed to teratogen elements is likely to have an abnormal fetus development when impregnated. In order to avoid such it is important for young girls to be educated about teratogens and their harmful effect during prenatal development.
Prenatal Teratogen Influences
Young females are at risk of being pregnant at an early age due to their type of lifestyle. For instance, a sexually active 15-year old girl is susceptible to early pregnancy, but also exposed to environmental influences that may affect the development of their baby. These exposures are eminent because some of young females are also highly engaged in alcohol drinking, substance use and smoking, which are all identified as teratogens. Illegal drugs for example poses significant risk to fetal development. Babies that are born to illegal drug users of methadone, cannabis, heroin, amphetamine and cocaine are likely to be born premature. The aforementioned substances would also cause the baby to have very low birth weight, breathing problems, physical defects and death. Furthermore, the infant would also become drug-addicted that has been inherited from the mother (Psych.ku.edu, N.D.).
Some substances are even more hazardous than the other such as cocaine, which is likely to cause the fetus to develop urinary tract infections, heart deformities, brain seizure and genital deformities. Smoking marijuana on the other hand might result to damages in the baby’s central nervous system. These effects are not limited to the mother’s drug use, but the father might also contribute to the problem as substances such as cocaine can attach itself to the sperm cells causing the same prenatal developmental problems (Psych.ku.edu, N.D.).
Smoking tobacco since chemicals from tobacco also causes low birth weight; miscarriage, impaired breathing and premature birth can make the same impact. This is because when the placenta absorbs nicotine it reduces the amount of nutrients that are intended for fetal growth causing the baby to have a very poor weight. The red blood cells of the mother and the baby are also being attacked by high concentration of carbon monoxide in the bloodstream resulting to oxygen displacement (Nwoke, 2008).
Another common teratogen is alcohol, problems occurred on children with behavioral problems are attributed to high amount of alcohol intake of the mother during pregnancy. This is because alcohol is also identified as neurobehavioral teratogen because its effect to the fetuses is the deterioration and injury of the brain (Stratton, Howe and Battaglia, 1996). FAS or Fetal alcohol syndrome lists several defects to the fetus caused by high alcohol consumption such as facial abnormalities, slow physical growth and mental retardation. The difference of FAS from FAE or Fetal alcohol effects is that the mother drank smaller amount of alcohol as compared to the mothers with FAS. However, the resulting effect to the fetus is relatively the same in FAS and FAE, the severity of each condition on the baby varies depending on the amount of alcohol intake and duration. Oxygen would also be drawn away from the fetus while in the development stage because alcohol absorbs high amounts of oxygen to metabolize (Stratton, Howe and Battaglia, 1996).
Prescription drugs and even over the counter medication cannot be taken without doctor’s consultation because medication is also regarded as a teratogen agent. For instance, thalidomide which is a popular sedative used in the 1960s caused deformation of the limbs when taken during the fourth to sixth week of fetal development (Psych.ku.edu, N.D.). A simple and very common aspirin also poses significant risk to the development of the fetus because regular use of such during pregnancy causes the child to have lower intelligence scores and poor motor development. Heavy caffeine intake from medications and coffee causes withdrawal symptoms, miscarriage irritability on the infant because of prematurity at birth.
On the other hand maternal diseases acquired or inherited by the mother is also likely to affect the growth of the fetus. Toxoplasmosis for example is a parasitic diseased that came from uncooked meat and contact with cat excrements leads to brain and eye damage to the baby. Rubella or German measles when acquired by the mother during the embryonic period of pregnancy would cause several abnormalities to the infants. Ultimately, AIDS is among the most known diseases that can be passed on to infants at birth. It destroys the baby and the mother’s immune system opening them up to large number of acquired diseases and infections (Nwoke, 2008).
Understanding fetal development and teratogens
The importance of understanding teratogens and fetal development among mental health professionals is to be able to make sound conclusion to assessments made to individuals that are reported to have mental problems. Since it was established that teratogens have adverse effect on the fetal development during pregnancy particularly on mental development, it would be easier for mental health professionals to determine the cause of the problems that would manifest later in life. The knowledge of linking prenatal development to teratogens would significantly and efficiently impose a strong basis for the mental health professionals to determine causes and prescribe relevant remedies.
References
Nwoke, M. B. (2008). The Effects of Teratogens on the Health of Developing Human Beings. 8th Biennial International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Society. Retrieved from http://www.crisanet.org/docs/conference_08/Papers/CAUSES_CONSEQUENCES_DRUG_USE/Nwoke_Teratogens.pdf
Psych.ku.edu (n.d.). Prenatal development. Retrieved June 17, 2013, from http://psych.ku.edu/dennisk/CP333/Prenatal%20Development.pdf
Stratton, K., Howe, C., & Battaglia, F. C. (1996). Fetal alcohol syndrome: Diagnosis, epidemiology, prevention, and treatment. Washington DC, USA: Institute of Medicine and National Academy Press.
