PSY 2105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Thalidomide, Toxoplasmosis, Syphilis

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 2105
• Professor: Alastair Younger

Document Summary

Here , maternal characteristics are actually environmental ex. Number of previous pregnancies - a second birth is easier than a rst ; after many pregnancies, there"s an increased risk of still birth , babies who die in the womb etc. Number of previous pregnancies is correlated with age. High levels are associated with increased emotional reactivity in the offspring. Stress hormone in the woman is elevated, crosses the placenta and reaches the fetus ; this can be responsible for the higher levels of emotional reactivity. Cleft palate - a birth defect ; upper part of mouth doesn"t close ; related to stress. Pyloric stenosis - has a higher incidence in infants who have been exposed to high levels of stress. Whatever the mother eats is what the fetus eats. Malnourished babies show increase in birth defects ; increase in infant mortality. Poverty ; this is associated with unsanitary conditions etc. Things that have an impact on the developing embryo.