Prenatal Development and its Importance

"A baby is something you carry inside you for nine months, in your arms for three years, and in your heart until the day you die."

- Mary Mason

What is Prenatal Development?

Prenatal development is the process by which a fertilized egg, becomes an embryo, develops into a fetus, and is ready for birth. This process begins with a woman’s egg being fertilized by a man’s sperm, and includes three separate stages:

• Preembryonic Stage (1st and 2nd weeks): Also known as germination, this stage begins at conception, after which the zygote will travel through the fallopian tube to the uterus where it attaches itself to the inner walls. During this stage, cell division takes place, and by the time this stage ends, the cell will have been divided into approximately 150 cells. 
• Embryonic Stage (3rd to 8th week): This stage begins after implantation and organogenesis occur, which is when the embryo's organ system forms. This stage lasts about 6 weeks. The heartbeat can also be heard at this stage, at around the fourth week.
• Fetal Stage (9th week until birth): During this stage, the parts of the body are formed and the fetus grows in size and weight. In the last month, the fetus will change positions to prepare for labor and delivery.

Why is it Important?

For a baby to be delivered safe and healthy, the mother would need to take care of herself and be aware of her mental and physical health, and the environment she is around. Such care will reduce the risk of complications to the fetus or the pregnancy and ensure better fetal health. Expecting mothers need to be careful of the medication they take, and their nutritional intake to make sure the fetus is safe and healthy. If they exercise, they need to go for something easier, such as yoga, stretching, or a relaxing walk.

Some things an expecting mother can do are:

• Taking folic acid following the doctor’s prescription
• Supervise their medical and nutritional intake
• Have a healthy weight
• Avoid drinking, smoking, and taking drugs
• Take care of their mental health
• Be aware of their family's health as well as their partner’s medical history

Some Prenatal Complications

In most cases, prenatal development occurs normally and follows the established patterns of development with little variation. However, there are several things that can go wrong during this time, and they can result in developmental problems for the baby.

• Depression and Anxiety: Women experience depression and anxiety, as well as other mental health conditions, during pregnancy and after the baby is born. These conditions can have significant effects on the health of both the mother and her child. There is no single cause of depression or anxiety during and after pregnancy, but hormonal changes, stress, family history, and changes in brain chemistry or structure may all play a role.
• Fetal Problems: Possible problems in the fetus include decreased movement after 28 weeks of pregnancy and being measured as smaller than normal. These pregnancies often require closer follow-up including more testing such as ultrasound exams, non-stress testing, and biophysical profiles as well as possible early delivery. Regardless of the cause, conception after Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) - which includes medical procedures used primarily to address infertility - should be a factor that alerts the clinician to the possibility of fetal complications during pregnancy.
• Teratogens: A teratogen is something that can cause or raise the risk of a birth defect in a baby. A mother may be exposed to teratogen through ingestion or environmental atmosphere. Some teratogens that a mother may be exposed to during pregnancy are some medicines, street drugs, alcohol, tobacco, toxic chemicals, some viruses and bacteria, and some health conditions, such as uncontrolled diabetes.
• Maternal Drug Use: The use of substances by the mother can have devastating consequences to the fetus such as low birth weight, which can result in a weakened immune system, poor respiration, and neurological impairment, or fetal alcohol syndrome, which is linked to heart defects, body malformations, and intellectual disability. Could be caused by smoking, alcohol consumption, and using other drugs.
• Miscarriage: Pregnancy loss from natural causes before the 20th week is considered a miscarriage. It is hard to estimate exactly how many pregnancies end in miscarriage because they may occur before a woman even knows she is pregnant. The most common cause of first-trimester miscarriage is chromosomal problems
• Genetic Problems: Genetics plays a major role in development. In some cases, genetic problems can emerge that may impact both the current and future growth of the developing child in the womb. Babies with genetic disorders can be at risk of slow mental and physical development, physical abnormalities, and lifelong illnesses. Factors that increase your risk of having a baby with a genetic disorder include:
• Family history of a genetic disorder
• A prior child with a genetic disorder
• One parent has a chromosomal abnormality
• Advanced maternal age (35 or older)
• Advanced paternal age (40 or older)
• Multiple miscarriages or prior stillbirth
• Infections: Infections, including some Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), may occur during pregnancy or delivery and may lead to complications for the pregnant woman, the pregnancy, and the baby after delivery. These infections include Herpes, HIV, Rubella, Syphilis, Zika virus, and other infections.