Effects of maternal behavior on featus

the possible beneficial or adverse effects of maternal behavior on fetal development

1. Possible Effects of Maternal Behavior on Fetal Development Submitted To: Dr.Saima Naz Submitted By: Shaista S aleem Roll no.20

2. Fetus A fetus or foetus (plural fetuses , feti , foetuses , or foeti ) is the unborn offspring of an animal that develops from an embryo . In human prenatal development , fetal development begins from the ninth week after fertilization (or eleventh week gestational age ) and continues until birth . a fetus is characterized by the presence of all the major body organs, though they will not yet be fully developed and functional and some not yet situated in their final anatomical location . 2

3. Stages of fetal development 3

4. Stages of Fetal Development 4

5. Connection between Mother and Fetus The physical connection between mother and fetus is provided by the P lacenta , an organ, built of cells from both the mother and fetus, which serves as a conduit for the exchange of nutrients, gasses, and wastes. Cells may migrate through the placenta between the mother and the fetus, taking up residence in many organs of the body including the lung, thyroid, muscle, liver, heart, kidney and skin. These may have a broad range of impacts, from tissue repair and cancer prevention to sparking immune disorders. 5

6. Maternal Behaviour Maternal behavior is defined as the collection of behaviors by the mother that can increase offspring survival. Maternal behavior in mammals is characterized by the display of increased attention toward offspring together with heightened protection of the young or maternal aggression. These altered responses are stimulated by the physiological events of pregnancy and  lactation , notably hormonal secretions. The endocrine and neuroendocrine states of pregnancy act upon a basic maternal  neural network  to alter the chemical state of the maternal brain, rendering the brain more sensitive to stimulatory chemical signals, most importantly  estrogen , prolactin and  oxytocin , and sensory inputs. Moreover, prior reproductive experience produces long-term changes in neuroendocrine and behaviorial states that mediate maternal as well as neurochemical memories.  6

7. Possible Effects of Maternal Behaviour on Fetal Development Nutrition is the major intrauterine environmental factor that alters expression of the fetal genome and may have lifelong consequences. Namely, alterations in fetal nutrition and endocrine status may result in developmental adaptations that permanently change the structure, physiology, and metabolism of the offspring, thereby predisposing individuals to metabolic, endocrine, and cardiovascular diseases in adult life. Animal studies show that both maternal under nutrition and over nutrition reduce placental-fetal blood flows and stunt fetal growth. Impaired placental syntheses of nitric oxide (a major vasodilator and angiogenesis factor) and polyamines (key regulators of DNA and protein synthesis) may provide a unified explanation for intrauterine growth retardation in response to the 2 extremes of nutritional problems with the same pregnancy outcome. There is growing evidence that maternal nutritional status can alter the epigenetic state of the fetal genome. Promoting optimal nutrition will not only ensure optimal fetal development, but will also reduce the risk of chronic diseases in adults. 7

8. Alcohol Abuse Drinking alcohol when you're pregnant can be very harmful to your baby. It can cause your baby to have a range of lifelong health conditions. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, preterm birth and stillbirth. When you drink alcohol during pregnancy, so does your baby. The same amount of alcohol that is in your blood is also in your baby's blood. The alcohol in your blood quickly passes through the placenta and to your baby through the umbilical cord. 8

9. Alcohol can also cause your baby to: • Have birth defects (heart, brain and other organs) • Vision or hearing problems • Be born too soon (preterm) • Be born at low birth weight • Have intellectual disabilities • Have learning and behavior problems • Have sleeping and sucking problems • Have speech and language delays • Have behavioral problems 9

10. Use of Illegal and I llicit Drugs Studies show that using drugs -- legal or illegal -- during pregnancy has a direct impact on the fetus. If you smoke, drink alcohol, or ingest caffeine, so does the fetus. If you use marijuana or crystal meth, your fetus also feels the impact of these dangerous drugs. And if you are addicted to cocaine -- also called coke, snow, or blow -- you're not only putting your own life on the line, but you are risking the health of your unborn baby. The consequences of using cocaine include heart attacks, respiratory failure, strokes, and seizures. And these life-threatening health problems can also be passed to an unborn baby. Taking drugs during pregnancy also increases the chance of birth defects, premature babies, underweight babies, and stillborn births. Exposure to drugs such as marijuana -- also called weed, ganja, dope, or pot -- and alcohol before birth has been proven to cause behavior problems in early childhood. These drugs can also affect the child's memory and attentiveness. In addition, some findings show that babies born to women who use cocaine, alcohol, or tobacco when they are pregnant may have brain structure changes that persist into early adolescence. 10

11. Cigarette Smoking Smoking during pregnancy affects you and your baby’s before, during, and after your baby is born. The nicotine (the addictive substance in cigarettes), carbon monoxide, and numerous other poisons you inhale from a cigarette are carried through your bloodstream and go directly to your baby. Smoking while pregnant will: • Lower the amount of oxygen available to you and your growing baby. • Increase your baby's heart rate. • Increase the chances of miscarriage and stillbirth. • Increase the risk that your baby is born prematurely and/or born with low birth weight. • Increase your baby's risk of developing respiratory (lung) problems. • Increases risks of birth defects. • Increases risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 11

12. The more cigarettes you smoke per day, the greater your baby's chances of developing these and other health problems. There is no "safe" level of smoking while pregnant. Carbon monoxide combines with haemoglobin ( Hb ) in the fetus red blood cells. If the Hb is combined with carbon monoxide then it cannot combine with oxygen. So when a mother smokes, she reduces the amount of oxygen being carried in her own bloods and also the baby’s blood. Nicotine reduces the diameter of the foetus’ blood vessels. This reduces the volume of blood that can flow through them. This, too, reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the foetus’ developing tissues. Nicotine also appears to affect the development of the nervous system. 12

13. Birth Control Birth control methods include hormonal contraceptives, such as pills, shots and patches. Each method and brand has a unique mixture of estrogen and progestin and delivery molecules that can potentially affect a fetus. In most cases, taking birth control during the first four to eight weeks of a pregnancy will have no ill side-effects on a fetus. Regardless of any potential risk factors or lack thereof, stop taking birth control and consult a physician if pregnancy is likely. The possibility of birth defects concerns many women who become pregnant while taking birth control pills. However, there is no scientific evidence that taking birth control pills during early pregnancy affects the rate of birth defects. The risk of miscarriage due to birth control is possible; however, no statistical data in humans has been compiled. 13

14. Stress Given the animal and human research suggesting effects of stress during pregnancy on offspring outcomes, recent research has explored the possible influences of other prenatal emotional states, such as anxiety and depression, on infant development. In an “intervention” study Field and her associates randomly assigned anxious, first-time pregnant women to supportive feedback during ultrasound versus traditional ultrasound. They found that women in the support group had less anxiety and their newborns were less active and irritable, suggesting that anxiety during pregnancy may be associated with more active and irritable neonatal behavior. 14

15. Babies born to mothers who report depressive symptoms at the time of the child’s birth have lower motor tone and endurance, are less active, less robust, and more irritable on a neurobehavioral exam. These babies also exhibit fewer facial expressions in response to models of happy and surprise faces and have indeterminate sleep patterns. Comprehensively, levels of stress, anxiety, and depression during pregnancy are associated with altered infant neurobehavioral development and, by extension, that these alterations arose and can be detected in the fetal period. The findings point to the possibility that women’s emotional states during pregnancy influence fetal development, which affects the later behavior of the child. 15

16. A balanced maternal diet is essential for proper fetal development, and the consumption of a nutritionally inadequate diet during intrauterine development and early childhood is associated with a significantly increased risk of metabolic and brain disorders in offspring. The maternal high-fat diet during pregnancy or lactation has effects on metabolic changes, molecular alterations in the brain, and behavioral disorders in offspring. 16

17. O ffspring exposed to a maternal high-fat diet during pregnancy and lactation manifest increased depressive like and aggressive behaviors, reduced cognitive development, and symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Recently, epigenetic and molecular studies have shown that maternal nutrition during pregnancy and the suckling period modifies the development of neurotransmitter circuits and many other factors important to central nervous system development. This finding confirms the importance of a balanced maternal diet for the health of offspring. 17

18. Classification of Birth Defects Malformations present at birth May also be known as congenital malformations Inborn errors of metabolism Disorders of the blood Chromosomal abnormalities Perinatal injuries 18

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20. Hence, according to previous discussion the psychological environment, dietary habits and any sort of addictions of mother has severe impacts on developing fetus. 20

21. References https:// www.google.com/search?q=fetus+definition&oq=fetus+de&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l9.9074j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Biological Science: Third Edition By, N. P. O. Green (Author), G. W. Stout (Author), D. J. Taylor (Author), R. Soper (Editor) Exploring Biology By, Ella Thea Smith NCERT Text Book Tell Me Why Encyclopaedia Britannica 21

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