NSD 225 Study Guide - Final Guide: Neural Tube, Birth Weight, Folic Acid
10 Dec 2017
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Fetal development in the first trimester: conception: zygote, 2 weeks: pre-embryo, 8 weeks: embryo, 13 weeks: fetus. The placenta: nourishes embryo/fetus, organ produced from maternal and fetal tissue, secretes hormones, transfers nutrients and oxygen from mother"s blood to the embryo/fetus, removes metabolic wastes. The importance of critical periods of development: first trimester, developmental stages in first trimester when cells grow rapidly, embryo and fetus are highly vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies, toxins, and harmful factors, risk of miscarriage is greatest. What to avoid during pregnancy: seafood with high levels of mercury, teratogen: agents that causes birth defects during critical periods of development. Folate: for synthesis of dna and cell division, neural tube formation, from supplements, fortified products, dark leafy greens, legumes, orange juice. Low birth weight infants: being underweight by 10% or more at the onset of pregnancy or gaining too little weight during pregnancy increases the risk of producing a low birth weight baby.
