Prenatal Development: The Crucial Life Stage

In life, we go through eight periods of development. The Period of development that I personally feel is most important is the prenatal development. Pregnancy is a physical condition in which a woman’s body is nurturing and developing an embryo or fetus. Prenatal development, or gestation, is the process that transforms a zygote into a newborn. Consequently, the process that ends with the birth of a baby involves two sets of experiences: those of the pregnant woman, and those of the developing zygote, embryo, and fetus (Lifespan Development, Boyd, Bee 2015 p.57). During these times are very vital and there every women who is in the process of giving birth to child should learn positive and negative risk factors of conception. The prenatal

The unborn child must be protected from and must endure certain teratogens, depending on the lifestyle of the mother, to be successfully born as a healthy baby.
For the duration of prenatal development, the unborn offspring may be affected by a multiplicity of teratogens, which are different factors which can have negative effects on the fetus, and can even cause birth defects. While there are countless factors that can affect an unborn child, the most commonly seen teratogens that should be avoided by a pregnant woman including alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. The intake and ingestion of alcohol during pregnancy is the cause of a disorder which is fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause a birth defect which can cause mental and physical disabilities, as well as cardiac defects in the heart for some situations. Some people believe that small amounts of alcohol in moderation can be acceptable, but there are proven facts that show no alcohol should be consumed during any time of pregnancy. Another dangerous teratogen to refrain from is the use of drugs, prescription and illegal. Many kinds of prescription drugs can influence a fetus and can cause physical and