Prenatal Development Effects

Prenatal development occurs when the single celled zygote develops into a full-term infant. This happens in a sequence of stages, which are primarily known as germinal, embryotic and the fetal stage. Each of the stages of prenatal development is very important to the development of a healthy happy baby. There are some agents that can potentially harm or disturb this crucial time for an infant, these agents are known as teratogens. Environmental factors such as mercury, air pollution and pesticides and personal choices such as consuming alcohol, caffeine and inhaling any tobacco products, can all impose risks. Pregnancy can be a very exciting and stressful time, especially for new mothers and any of these teratogens can be overlooked, new parents need to spend time researching the possible effects they can have on their new family member. …show more content…
Unfortunately with this benefit there are some risks, most fish contain mercury. For most people small traces of mercury will not harm you, but some fish do have levels that are capable of harming an unborn baby. According to the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY (1997) prenatal exposure to methylmercury disrupts brain development. The most common mode of prenatal methylmercury exposure is maternal fish consumption. Studies of human prenatal exposure in Iraq following maternal ingestion of methylmercury treated grain suggested that maternal hair mercury concentrations above 10 ppm may be related to delayed developmental milestones and neurological abnormalities. Studies have shown a link between the ingestion of mercury filled fish and the negative side effects on prenatal development. Mothers need to make more informed choices with regarding the food they