Section 3: Genetics and Prenatal Development
Why learn about prenatal development and genetics?
People endure quite an incredible journey before they are born. Think about it—when the timing and conditions are just right, a tiny egg releases from ovulation, and a single sperm out of hundreds of millions unite to begin the fertilization process. Genetic material from the mother and father forms a completely new organism. This new organism has to continue to travel and implant in the uterine wall to continue to grow and thrive. It is not an easy feat. It still must grow and develop for approximately 268 days before it begins life outside of the womb.
Today, we have more knowledge and technology than ever before, which impacts this process. We are privy to tests that can give us a wealth of information even before we conceive. We have the ability to know the genetic makeup of an embryo before it is implanted in the womb. If you could choose all of the features of your future baby, would you? What would be the pros and cons of this? New parents also have the choice of the prenatal care that they receive and how they want to prepare for labor and delivery. As you can see, the choices that are made along the way and the unforeseen surprises make for a unique pregnancy and birth story.
What is the role of genetics in prenatal development?
In this section, we will look at prenatal development and some of the ways in which heredity helps to shape the way we are. Heredity involves more than genetic information from our parents. According to evolutionary psychology, our genetic inheritance comes from the most adaptive genes of our ancestors. We will look at what happens genetically during conception and take a brief look at some genetic abnormalities. Before going into these topics, however, it is important to emphasize the interplay between heredity and the environment. Why are you the way you are? As you consider some of your features (height, weight, personality, health, etc.), ask yourself whether these features result from heredity, environmental factors, or both. Chances are, you can see the ways in which both heredity and environmental factors (such as lifestyle, diet, and so on) have contributed to these features.
Genetics and Heredity
- Define gene, chromosome, and gamete.
- Distinguish between mitosis and meiosis, genotype and phenotype, homozygous and heterozygous, and dominant and recessive.
- Question the assertion that human traits are genetic. Define genotype-environment correlations and genotype-environment interactions, and define epigenetics.
- Differentiate between genetic disorders and chromosomal abnormalities. Describe Trisomy 21.
- Describe the function of genetic counseling.
- Compare monozygotic and dizygotic twins
Prenatal Development
- Differentiate between development during the germinal, embryonic, and fetal periods.
- Define teratogens and describe the factors that influence their effects
- Examine risks to prenatal development posed by exposure to teratogens
- List and describe the effects of several common teratogens
- Explain maternal and paternal factors that affect the developing fetus
- Explain the types of prenatal assessment
- Explain potential complications of pregnancy and delivery
- Identify the impact of systemic racism on pregnancy and birth outcomes.
