Developmental PsychologyThe mother and pregnancyFactors related to mother’s well being, pregnancy and fetusMother’s AgeMother’s DietMaternal ENVIRONMENTMother’s HealthMother’s Prenatal SupportSlide 9Mother’s Drug UseSlide 11Fetal alcohol syndromeDo Fathers Affect the Prenatal Environment?TeratogensSlide 15Prenatal Environment & risksTeratogens and timingPowerPoint PresentationPrescription teratogensNon-prescription TeratogensCommon teratogensSlide 22Slide 23More TeratogensDevelopmental PsychologyDr. van WidenfeltPSYC 307-100September 11, 2015Extra lectureThe mother and pregnancyFactors related to mother’s well being, pregnancy and fetus •Age•Diet•Health•Use of substances, meds, drugs, alcohol•Stress; supportMother’s AgeMore women are giving birth later in life than 2 or 3 decades ago—due to societal transformations•Childbirth delay has potential consequences for mothers’ and children’s health–Prematurity and low birth rate more likely–Increased incidence of Down syndrome•Risks exist for atypically young women–Increased prematurity–Higher mortality rateMother’s Diet•Most knowledge of environmental factors that affect developing fetus comes from the study of mother.•There are ways to counteract types of maternal malnourishment that affect prenatal development.Maternal ENVIRONMENT•Maternal nutrition - what the pregnant woman eats, drinks, and breathes predicts infant health, often for the rest of their lives…–Folic acid = reduced CNS abnormalities–Iron = reduced cognitive, motor deficits, better emotional functioning–Malnourished mothers = more risk for children to be malformed, develop schizophrenia, antisocial personality disorder, diabetes, obesity, liver and kidney failure•Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944-1945 - infants born to mothers in famine were much more likely to become obese and diabetic adults•Obese moms risk infants with neural tube defects, neonatal death, injury–Diet quality is linked to ethnicity, SES, and education–Maternal malnutrition associated with low SESMother’s Health•Mothers who eat the right foods, maintain an acceptable weight, and who exercise appropriately maximize the chances of having a healthy baby.•A mother’s diseases may affect a developing fetus, depending on when the illness is contracted.Mother’s Prenatal SupportHigh mortality rate for babies of adolescent mothers reflects•Physiological problems related to mothers’ young age•Adverse social and economic factors which can affect infant healthMaternal ENVIRONMENT•Maternal stress is a common risk factor for child health deficits:–As infants – malformations, anemia, hyperactivity, irritability, feeding and sleeping difficulties–As children – psychological and behavior disorders, depression, anxiety, asthma–As adults - Increased rates of schizophrenia–NIH and WHO recommend that effects of maternal stress during pregnancy should be given high research priority. –Social support network can helpMother’s Drug UseMothers’ use of many kinds of drugs poses serious risks to unborn child.•Even prescription drugs have sometimes had disastrous consequences •Illicit drugs may pose equally great, and sometimes even greater, risks for environments of prenatal childrenMother’s Drug UseFetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) •Cognitive disorder caused by the pregnant mother consuming substantial quantities of alcohol during pregnancy, potentially resulting in mental retardation and delayed growth in the childFetal alcohol syndromephysical and cognitive abnormalities in children whose mother’s drank alcohol during pregnancyfacial misproportions, heart malformations and other physical abnormalities, stunted growth, and behavior problemsLeading cause of preventable mental retardation in U.S.No known safe amount of alcoholDo Fathers Affect the Prenatal Environment?Fathers’ behavior may influence prenatal environment–Smoking–Use of alcohol and illegal drugs–Physical or emotional abuse to pregnant wivesTeratogensTeratogens•A teratogen = anything that can reach the developing organism and cause a birth defect, cognitive, and/or behavioral deficits. drugs, incompatible blood types, pollutants, viruses, stress, etc.Prenatal Environment & risks•Nature AND Nurture matter in utero!•The timing and quantity of exposure to certain environmental factors are crucial•Critical periods (nurture) – particular stages of development when certain environmental influences strongly impact development–Especially during rapid prenatal developmentTeratogens and timingMost serious damage from teratogen exposure in first 3-8 wksTERATOGENS & PRENATAL DEVELOPMENTPrescription teratogens•In general, legal and illegal drug use during pregnancy are associated with developmental deficits –including lower IQ scores, poor school performance, higher risk for dependency problems later in life•Prescription drugs that may affect the embryo or fetus:•antibiotics•antidepressants•hormones•Accutane (prescribed for acne)•Thalidomide for morning sickness and anxiety•Sleeping pills•Anti-anxiety drugsNon-prescription Teratogens•Non-prescription teratogens include:–Diet pills, aspirin, Aleve, ibuprofin (Advil)•Psychoactive Drugs - Act on the nervous system to alter states of consciousness, modify perceptions, and change moods. –Nicotine, marijuana, caffeine, alcohol, X, crack, heroin, etc. –In general, the more mind-altering the drug, the worse the birth defects will be•Dose-response principleCommon teratogens•Caffeine–2 cups of coffee or 2 to 3 cans of cola per day increase risks for spontaneous abortion and low birth weight–Pregnant women who consume 300 or more milligrams of caffeine a day have an increased risk of fetal deathCommon teratogens•Nicotine –Increased risk of learning disabilities, stunted growth, upper respiratory and ear infections, cleft palate–Increased risk of premature births, low birth weights, miscarriage, respiratory problems and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, also known as crib death) when mothers OR fathers smoked during the pregnancyCommon teratogens•Marijuana –Increased irritability, nervousness, tremors –Prenatal exposure predicts later marijuana use by the age of 14More Teratogens•Flu and viruses – associated with numerous psychological disorders•STD’s – associated with brain damage, deafness, blindness, and a range of serious physical and