Question

Discuss the major milestones of fetal development during the three trimesters of pregnancy. Discuss five dietary and environmental factors that could impact development.

Answer 1

There are many fetal development milestones that a child meets from the starting to the end of the pregnancy,i.e., from fertilization to delivery.

The milestones in each trimesters are as following :

TRIMESTER 1 :

In the first two months of the pregnancy, the baby develops from a ball of 32 cells called blastocyst to a big mass of cells called an embryo. This embryo then develops into a full grown baby with time. The placenta also develops in the embryonic stage and plays a vital role in the transport of nutrients to the embryo for the development.

• Week 5-6 : The size of the baby is very tiny. At this time, the baby's heart begins to beat and facial features start to develop (such as nose and eyes). Arms and legs with little fingers start to grow.
• Week 8-9 : Now the baby can move all his limbs which are well developed during the course of this time. The baby also develops earlobes and eyelids but the eyelids are fused shut.
• Week 10-11 : Now the embryo is called as a fetus and has all the vital organs required by the body to function properly(such as brain, heart, liver, kidneys and intestines). The bones start to harden and genitalia starts to develop externally.

TRIMESTER 2 :

In these two months of the pregnancy, the sex of the baby will be fully developed. It's circulatory system will begin pumping blood within the body and the bones will become hard .

• Week 15-16 : The baby begins to breathe in the amniotic fluid to develop it's air sacs into lungs.
• Week 19-23 : As the baby's muscles develop and grow, mother starts to feel the baby moving around and kicking. The sense of hearing and feeling develops in the baby . The skin also develops a white substance called vernix, which protects it from the amniotic fluid.
• Week 24-27 : Now the taste buds develop and the brain also develops quickly. The baby is almost 6 inches long by now and weighs over a pound.

TRIMESTER 3 :

Over the last past few weeks,i.e., 6-12 weeks(approx 3 months ) of pregnancy, the brain starts to develop millions of neurons. It's skin fills out with baby fat as it's body is preparing for the outside world.

• Week 28-34 : The baby is almost 17 inches by now and weighs over 3 pounds. He can also distinguish between light and dark.
• Week 35-39 : The muscles of the baby are fully grown by now - lungs work completely, head is full of hair, eyelashes are developed.
• Week 40 : The baby is ready to be delivered any time and is ready for a life outside the world.  Length of the baby is 20 inches by now and it weighs 6-10 pounds.

Five dietary factors that could impact the development of the fetus are as following :

1. Protein : It provides the basic building blocks for the formation of enzymes, antibodies, muscles and collagen. Collagen is necessary for the development of frsamework of skin, bones, blood vessels and other tissues.
2. Lipids and fats : Lipids are essential for the development of the cell membrane and hormones. They are also essential for the development of the brain and eyes (eg: linolenic acid and linoleic acid ).
3. Fiber : A high fibre diet is good for the mother to avoid constipation. Fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts are high fiber sources.
4. Carbohydrate : The fetus requires a proper amount of energy in the form of Glucose to grow . A poor carbohydrate diet may result in an undernourished child birth, thus optimal amount of glucose should be ensured for proper growth of the baby.
5. Vitamins : Vitamins like Vit. A and D are important for the child growth. Vit. A is involved in the growth, vision factor and protein synthesis where on the other hand Vit. D is involved in the maintaining strong and healthy bones and teeth.

Five environmental factors that could impact the development of the fetus are as following :

1. Air pollution - Inhaling tobacco smoke and pollutants from the environment can harm the fetus.
2. Radiations :Exposure to ionizing radiations during early gestation period has been associated with congenital defects and childhood cancer.
3. Stress : Maternal stress has been associated with the defects in birth like low weight or prematured delivery.
4. Organic solvents : The women working in textile, paint or plastic industries are exposed to organic solvents which may lead to increased risk of miscarriages.
5. Metals : Metals like Pb, Hg , Mn have beeen associated with poor reproductive results.