Factors Affecting the Development of a Fetus

GROUP 2
Today, we present including :

1. The risks towards the baby

2. The healthy lifestyle that should be practiced by the woman during
pregnancy.
3. Ways to reduce the number of abnormal babies born due to the
unhealthy lifestyle of mothers during pregnancy?
 The risks towards the baby:
 Infants born to teenage mothers are at increased risk for several
health risks, including the following:
• Teenage mothers are less likely to gain adequate weight during
their pregnancy, leading to low birthweight. Low birthweight is
associated with several infant Low-birthweight babies are more likely
to have organs that are not fully developed, which can result in
complications .

 Teenage mothers receive regular prenatal care less often than older
women. Prenatal care is essential for monitoring the growth of the
fetus and the health of the mother. During prenatal care, medical
professionals provide important information about good nutrition
and about other ways to ensure a healthy pregnancy. According to
the American Medical Association (AMA), babies born to women
who do not have regular prenatal care are 4 times more likely to die
before the age of 1 year.
The healthy lifestyle that should be practiced by the
woman during pregnancy :
 Ways to Stay Healthy During Pregnancy
 #1 - Eat right
Eating a healthy diet is especially important for pregnant women. Your
baby needs healthy food, not sugar and fat. Eat plenty of colorful fruits
and vegetables, whole grains, calcium-rich foods, and foods low in
saturated fat.
 #2 - Don’t drink alcohol
Women should not drink alcohol before and during their pregnancy
and while breastfeeding. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of having a
baby with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD can cause
abnormal facial features and behavioral issues. Alcohol can impact a
baby’s health in the earliest stages of pregnancy, before a woman
may be aware, she is pregnant. Therefore, women who may become
pregnant also should not drink alcohol .
 #3 - Get moving
Daily exercise is great for most pregnant women. Check with your
doctor to find out how much physical activity would be right for you.
 #4 - Get plenty of sleep
Ample sleep (7 to 9 hours) is important for you and your baby. Try to
sleep on your left side to improve blood flow to you and your child.

 #5- Get your vitamins

Make sure to get plenty of folic acid and calcium. You can get these
and other necessary vitamins and minerals from food and a standard
multivitamin.Oranges, broccoli, and kidney beans are rich in folic acid .
Milk, yogurt, and spinach are packed with calcium. However, can help
ensure you get the right amount. Ask your doctor or seek medical
consultation about taking a daily prenatal vitamin.
 Ways to reduce the number of abnormal babies born due to
the unhealthy lifestyle of mothers during pregnancy?
 1. Choose a healthy lifestyle.
•Keep diabetes under control. Poor control of diabetes during
pregnancy increases the chances for birth defects and other problems
for the pregnancy. It can also cause serious complications for the
woman. Proper healthcare before and during pregnancy can help
prevent birth defects and other poor outcomes.
•Maintain a healthy weight. A woman who is obese (a body mass
index [BMI] of 30 or higher) before pregnancy is at a higher risk for
complications during pregnancy. Obesity also increases a pregnant
woman’s risk of several serious birth defects. Even if a woman is not
actively planning a pregnancy, getting healthy can help boost her
health and her mood. If a woman is overweight or obese, she should
talk with her doctor about ways to reach a healthy weight before she
gets pregnant.
 2. Avoid harmful substances.
 Avoid alcohol at any time during pregnancy. Alcohol in a woman’s
bloodstream passes to the developing baby through the umbilical cord.
There is not safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy or while trying
to get pregnant. There is also no safe time during pregnancy to drink. All
types of alcohol are equally harmful, including wine and beer. Drinking
alcohol during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and a range
of lifelong physical and behavioral. These disabilities in the child, which
occur because the mother drank alcohol during the pregnancy, are
known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). The best advice for
women is stop drinking alcohol when trying to get pregnant.
 Avoid smoking cigarettes. The dangers of smoking during pregnancy
include preterm birth, certain birth defects and infant death. Even being
around tobacco smoke puts a woman and her pregnancy at risk for
problems. Quitting smoking before getting pregnant is best. For a
woman who is already pregnant, quitting as early as possible can still
help protect against some health problems for the baby, such as low
birth weight. It’s never too late to quit smoking.
Thank you !!!