Amniotic fluid Amniotic fluid is the liquid that surrounds the fetus after the first few weeks of gestation and is contained within the amniotic cavity. It surrounds the growing fetus, protecting it form external pressure. The fluid is initially secreted from the amnion and is later supplemented by urine from fetal kidneys. Some fluid is swallowed by the fetus and absorbed by the fetal intestine. It has a composition similar to blood plasma, and is initially produced by transport of fluid across the amniotic membrane itself. From week 16 onwards, fetal urine makes an important contribution to the amniotic fluid. If the fetus excretes no urine, the volume of amniotic fluid will be low, and leads to a condition known as oligohydramnios. Functions of amniotic fluid • Antibacterial properties that protects the fetus from infection: Experimental evidence has shown that there is a presence of a phosphate sensitive bacterial inhibitor. This inhibitor may serve as the primary defence against invading microbes, mainly gram-negative bacteria. The sensitivity to phosphate ions is what makes this bacterial inhibitor unique to other inhibitor systems. The peptide compnent of the inhibitor also makes the system special by its molecular size being similar to that of hormones and antibiotics. • Growth and development of fetal lungs: There must be enough amniotic fluid present to prevent lung compression, normal fetal breathing movements and the volume of fluid within the developing airways. With the presence of sufficient fluid it creates sufficient amniotic pressure, forcing the tracheal pressure of the fetus to be greater. The differential creates a distending pressure that promotes lung growth. • Growth and development of gastrointestin... ... middle of paper ... ...en these inhibitors (indomethacin and ibuprofen) for more than 72 hours; 26 out of 37 (70%) women developed oligohydramnios when treated with indomethacin, and 8 out of 30 (27%) women developed oligohydramnios when treated with ibuprofen. Once the medication was discontinued, there was no more development of oligohydramnios. (Hendricks, 1990) Effects on fetal development A small amniotic cavity can hinder the growth of the fetus, resulting in deformations, and cause various congenital malformations, notably pulmonary hypoplasia. As a result of oligohydramnios, the fetus may suffer from Potter’s syndrome (also known as Potter Sequence or oligohydramnios sequence). The primary problem of Potter’s syndrome is kidney failure. With lack of amniotic fluid, the fetus is not protected against the pressure from the uterine walls, resulting in an unusual facial appearance.
The fetus begins to develop the type II alveoli at 22nd to 24th week of gestation, however these immature alveoli are incapable of supplying enough surfactant to meet the infant's respiratory needs. The fetus surfactant production begins to become adequate at the middle terminal stage of alveoli development and production becomes optimal at the 34th-to-36th week. (Porth, 1306) There are four types of surfactant produced by the type 2 alveoli known as primary surfactant proteins SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, and SP-D. SP-A and SP-D roles are inhibiting production of surfactant i...
[T]he female body is a reservoir, a virgin patch of still, pooled water where the fetus comes to term. (Paglia p.27)
Healthy lung tissue is predominately soft, elastic connective tissue, designed to slide easily over the thorax with each breath. The lungs are covered with visceral pleura which glide fluidly over the parietal pleura of the thoracic cavity thanks to the serous secretion of pleural fluid (Marieb, 2006, p. 430). During inhalation, the lungs expand with air, similar to filling a balloon. The pliable latex of the balloon allows it to expand, just as the pliability of lungs and their components allows for expansion. During exhalation, the volume of air decrease causing a deflation, similar to letting air out of the balloon. However, unlike a balloon, the paired lungs are not filled with empty spaces; the bronchi enter the lungs and subdivide progressively smaller into bronchioles, a network of conducting passageways leading to the alveoli (Marieb, 2006, p. 433). Alveoli are small air sacs in the respiratory zone. The respiratory zone also consists of bronchioles and alveolar ducts, and is responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide (Marieb, 2006, p. 433).
Peterson-Iyer, Karen. "Confronting a Fetal Abnormality." http://www.scu.edu. Santa Clara University, Jan. 2008. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. .
...ve Achondroplasia. Clinical laboratories have available testing for the FGFR3 gene. When a child is diagnosed with Achondroplasia, parents should look for changes in bowel or bladder function, muscle weakness, and asymmetrical reflexes or respiratory problems. Many babies with Achondroplasia have troubles with repeating ear infections. Some may need ear tubes, which are placed into the ear to allow air in the middle ear to help lower the chances of ear infections. Without these tubes, the baby could lose its hearing. The spinal cord can also get compressed, making the upper airway obstructed, and increasing the risk of death for the baby. People with Achondroplasia also have breathing problems, during this breathing either stops or slows down for short amounts of time. ("GeneFacts")
Association of Placenta Preparation Arts board member Nikole Keller says, “the placenta is often referred to as a filter; this isn’t an ideal term for the placenta considering its function in the body… A more suitable way of looking at it would be as a gate keeper between the mother and the fetus. The placenta’s job is to keep the maternal and fetal blood separate, at the same time allowing nutrients to pass to the fetus, gas exchange to occur, and allowing waste from the fetus to pass through the mother, . The placenta does prevent some toxins from passing through to the fetus but they are not stored in the placenta. Toxins in the body and waste from the fetus are processed by the mother’s liver and kidneys for elimination”
This occurs when the fetal head is in the wrong position. It can also be caused by damage to the muscles of the neck or the neck of the blood supply problems.
When a mother finds out she is pregnant it is a wonderful experience. Most people are excited to see their first “picture” of their baby, the ultrasound. Even more exciting is getting an ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby. But ultrasounds are useful for more than just getting that first image of the fetus or finding out whether it is a boy or a girl. While it is something most parents dread finding out when pregnant, an ultrasound can also detect a birth defect. There are many different birth defects that can be detected by an ultrasound during pregnancy like Spina Bifida, Down syndrome, and abnormalities with the heart and lower urinary tract, and the importance of detecting them with an ultrasound is shown in the benefits of discovering the birth defect early, and the options it gives the parents after discovering the birth defect.
Asthma during pregnancy can take the form of shortness of breathe, difficulty in breathing, coughing and wheezing.
Compounding all of these solutions, the pharmaceutical industry needs to conduct extensive research on developing new antibiotics for various pathogenic bacteria by studying the bacterial structure. This will help scientists to formulate ways of counteracting the functions of the various constituents of bacteria.
The correlation between maternal smoking and low birth weight has been strongly established. Nicotine affects the placental function by inducing the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine into the maternal blood, which causes decreased blood flow to the placenta (1). The decreased blood flow causes a decrease in delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. This may have an effect on cell growth and development. High levels of carboxyhemoglobin are present in the blood of the mother and the fetus. This may decrease the capacity of the blood to transport oxygen and fetal hypoxia is the result (2). Fetal hypoxia and ischemia are major contributors to developmental defects, but nicotine has been implicated, in various studies, to have a direct affect on fetal development (3).
of the air spaces and drops the air pressure in the lungs so that air
I think it is incredible that we have made such advancements in fetal medicine that surgeons are actually able to perform surgery on a fetus while in utero. Deformities like a cleft lip or pallet are about to be fixed in the womb before the child is even born. The video specifically shows a fetus at 26 weeks who has a hole in his diaphragm. This would cause a problem for him after birth if left unfixed because his intestines would grow into his lung cavity preventing him from being able to breath air outside of the womb. Fortunately with medical advancements, doctors were able to perform a procedure on the fetus where a balloon was placed between his diaphragm and lungs to prevent any obstruction from developing. As soon as the child is born the balloon will be removed and he will likely be able to go on without any difficulty breathing. Having access to this particular fetal procedure has increased survival of newborns with this condition by fifty percent. This is just one of many advancements in fetal medicine. We have also come a long way with premature babies, and micro preemies. Babies born at as early as 24 weeks have a more than fifty percent chance of survival. That is why 24 weeks of pregnancy is often times referred to the viability
Because there is no fertilization, the corpus luteum will then be stimulated to degenerate, as will its hormonal output. In the case of an ectopic pregnancy, where the oocyte is fertilized but is blocked by the scar tissue, the corpus luteum will normally response by persisting “until the placenta is ready to take over its hormone-producing duties in about three months” (p.971). In this ectopic pregnancy, however, the placenta will be inhibited because the embryo will grow in the fallopian tubes until the tubes cannot stretch, unlike the uterus, and eventually ruptures. The ruptured fallopian tube can cause internal bleeding and is life-threatening to the woman. In an article by Tay, Moore, and Walker (2000), “ectopic pregnancy causes major maternal morbidity and mortality with pregnancy loss, and its incidence is increasing
During prenatal development, the mother's general health and age is very important. Nutrition, anxiety, and stress are a big part of the physical development during the prenatal stages. Referenced by Eysenck & Schoenthaler (1997) in our text, “A rapidly growing body of evidence reveals that when food sources are short on protein or essential vitamins and minerals during prenatal and early postnatal development, an infant’s physical, socio-emotional, and intellectual development can be compromised” (as cited by Broderick & Blewitt, 2010, p. 56).Genetic and chromosomal problems can begin at conception. Many disorders can be transmitted through the operation of dominant and recessive genes. Most recessive disorders are diagnosed in early childhood. Some genetic disorders include the following: sickle cell disease, hemophilia, night blindness, cystic fibrosis, extra fingers, high blood pressure, and huntington's disease. Chromosomal errors also effect the prenatal development stage. The most common is Down syndrome, in which a child has 3 copies of chromosome 21. The risk of bearing a child with this condition depends on the age of the mother.