Pregnancy and Childbirth

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Pregnancy and Childbirth

• Human Sexuality Unit
• Lesson 8

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CONGRATULATIONS!!!
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Prenatal Care

• What is it?
• Care that is given to mother-to-be and baby
  before birth
• Includes
• Routine medical exams
• Proper nutrition
• Reasonable exercise
• Extra rest/relaxation
• Childbirth/child care education
• Avoidance of risk behaviors
• Common sense!

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Common Questions

• Question 1
• Healthy diet
• Prenatal vitamins
• Ensures fetus will get needed nutrients
• What happens if baby does not receive proper
  nutrients?
• Premature birth
• Baby is born before fully developed (less than 38
  weeks)
• Low birth weight
• Weight at birth less than 5.5 pounds
• Both are associated with mental retardation

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Common Questions

• Question 2
• Morning sickness
• Can occur at any time throughout day
• Most common in morning before mother has eaten
• Other symptoms of pregnancy
• Missed periods
• Breast tenderness
• Fatigue
• Change of appetite
• All vary from female to female

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Common Questions

• Question 3
• Over-the-counter and prescription drugs
• Check with physician before taking
• Can harm developing baby
• Ex. aspirin may interfere with blood clotting
  in mother and fetus
• Avoid harmful drugs
• Marijuana, cocaine, heroin
• What happens to babies born to mothers who are
  drug-users?
• Premature birth, low birth weight, addicted to
  drugs

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Premature Babies/Low Birth Weight
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Five Weeks Pregnant

• Embryo
• Name given a developing baby from the time of
  conception until the ninth week
• ½ inch in size

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Common Questions

• Question 4
• Avoid tobacco products and secondhand smoke
• Females who smoke
• Have babies in poorer general health
• Increase the risk of complications (miscarriage,
  stillbirth)
• Miscarriage
• Natural ending of a pregnancy before a baby is
  developed enough to survive on its own
• Stillbirth
• Fully developed baby born dead

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Nine Weeks Pregnant

• Fetus
• Name given a developing baby from the ninth week
  until birth
• 2 inches in size

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Common Questions

• Question 5
• Avoid alcohol during pregnancy
• Impact unborn baby
• Can cause fetal alcohol syndrome
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
• Presence of severe birth defects in babies born
  to mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy
• Includes damage to brain and nervous system,
  facial abnormalities, small head size, below
  normal IQ, poor coordination, heart defects, and
  behavior problems

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Common Questions

• Question 6
• Caffeine in pregnant females
• Ask physician
• Some levels of caffeine may be linked to birth
  defects
• Products with caffeine
• Coffee, chocolate, cola drinks, tea, and some
  prescription and over-the-counter drugs

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Four Months Pregnant

• Approximate size of developing fetus 5 ½ inches

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Changes During Pregnancy

• Three trimester time periods
• Trimester 3 months

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Changes During Pregnancy

• First Trimester (First 3 months of pregnancy)
• Mother menstruation stops, breast tenderness,
  fatigue, frequent urination, nausea/vomiting
• Embryo/Fetus eyes, nose, and brain appear, can
  see heart, nervous system and brain coordinate
  body functions

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Changes During Pregnancy

• Second Trimester (Months 4-6 of pregnancy)
• Mother breasts may secrete liquid, size of
  uterus increases, fetal movements very
  noticeable, showing more
• Fetus body covered with downy hair, skin is
  less transparent, sucks thumb

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Changes During Pregnancy

• Third Trimester (Last 3 months of pregnancy)
• Mother weight gain continues, uterus extends
  (top of uterus nears breastbone by the 9th
  month), fetal movements continue, possible
  difficult walking
• Fetus covered with greasy substance to protect
  from chapping, hair on head, skin red and wrinkled