Prenatal Period of Development

Physical developmental milestones that typically developing children should attain

during this period of development.
During the prenatal stage of development there are many physical milestones that take place. In
the first trimester, conception through the third month, the embryo weighs about one to two
ounces and is about three inches long. Bone cells have started to form and appear, the placenta,
chorionic sac, amniotic fluid, and the umbilical cord have formed, and cells form that make up
the major internal organs have started to form. During the second trimester, months four through
six, physical appearance is more like an infant, arms, legs, sexual organs, fingers, and toes have
all formed and can be flexed and moved. The baby should weigh around 1.5-2 pounds and
should be about 12-14 inches long. During the last trimester, seventh month until delivery, the
heart and lungs should be more mature, and ready for life outside the womb. The baby should
weigh about 7-8 pounds, and be around 19-21 inches long (Marotz, & Allen, 2013).

Cognitive developmental milestones that typically developing children should attain
during this period of development.
Around 12-16 weeks the baby is now able to form facial expressions and has learned to suck and
swallow. The baby at this stage also starts to suck its thumb. Around 24-28 weeks gestation the
eyes are formed and now are able to respond to light and sound (Marotz, & Allen, 2013).
Language milestones during this period of development.
Fetuss brain growth starts to grow rapidly during the second trimester allowing the fetus to
become stimulated by sounds outside the womb. By the third trimester the fetus reacts to
auditory stimulus outside the womb by increasing their heart rate and by increasing their body
movements (Berk, 2013).

Social-emotional milestones during this period of development.
Studies have shown that if a fetus is very active during the third trimester the more likely they
are to handle frustrations at one year of age. Fetal activity studies have also shown that the more
active a fetus is the neurological development of the fetus is healthier (Berk, 2013).
Signs that may signal atypical development during this period of development.
There are many different conditions that occur upon the mother during pregnancy that can affect
prenatal development. One such condition is known as preeclampsia which if left untreated can
turn into eclampsia. Preeclampsia-eclampsia can be seen through hypertension or high blood
pressure, edema/swelling, and the mother also has proteinuria, or protein in the urine.
Preeclampsia-eclampsia can cause one or more organs to dysfunction which can lead to preterm
birth, death of the mother and even the infant (Sibai, & Stella, 2009). Another condition that can
cause atypical development in the fetus is preterm birth. This can result in the death of the infant
and can cause birth defects due to the immaturity of the fetus (underdeveloped organs, such as
lungs) (Berk, 2013).

One social and one cultural influence during this period of development.
The prenatal care that the mother receives during pregnancy can influence the growth and
development of the fetus. For example, if the mother receives the proper prenatal care from an
obstetrics and gynecologist or OB GYN both the mother and the fetus have better chances of
making it through the pregnancy healthy (Stotland, Gilbert, Bogetz, Harper, Abrams, & Gerbert,
2010). One cultural influence during the prenatal period of development is the types of food that
the mother eats. For example, Mexican mothers tend to eat spicy foods that can make the fetus
more active and can also cause the mother to have more indigestion (Santos-Torres, & Vasquez-
Garibay, 2003).
Strategies that families can use to influence their childrens learning and development
during this period of development.
Mothers need to have good prenatal care and see a doctor throughout their entire pregnancy.
Mothers can also help their babies grow healthy by having a healthy diet, and refrain from using
drugs, alcohol, and smoking (Marotz & Allen, 2013).


References
Berk, L. E. (2013). Child development. Boston: Pearson Education
Marotz, L. R., & Allen, K. E. (2013). Developmental Profiles: Pre-Birth Through Adolescence.
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Belmont, CA.
Santos-Torres, M. I., & Vsquez-Garibay, E. (2003). Food taboos among nursing mothers of
Mexico. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 142-149.
Sibai, B. M., & Stella, C. L. (2009). Diagnosis and management of atypical preeclampsia-
eclampsia. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 200(5), 481-e1.
Stotland, N. E., Gilbert, P., Bogetz, A., Harper, C. C., Abrams, B., & Gerbert, B. (2010).
Preventing excessive weight gain in pregnancy: how do prenatal care providers approach
counseling?. Journal of Women's Health, 19(4), 807-814.