A friend of yours is pregnant. She has read about the potential problems that could occur with a pregnancy. Based upon this chapter, what do you think are the three most potentially harmful things an expectant mother could do that might harm a developing fetus?
What will be an ideal response?
Although there are many things that can harm the developing fetus, remind the mother
that the placenta is designed to filter many harmful elements. Perhaps the most
significant things the mother should be concerned about, and that she can do something
about, are things that she ingests. Drugs and alcohol are probably the most harmful
because they can cross the placenta and directly impact the fetus. It is not known how
much of a substance, such as drugs or alcohol, it takes to harm the fetus. So, the best
advice is to avoid these substances altogether. A second significant teratogen that a
mother can control is smoking. Smoking affects the lungs of the mother and may very
well damage the developing lungs of the fetus. Lastly, the mother's diet is known to
have a significant impact on the developing fetus. Maternal malnutrition is linked to
many problems including low birth weight and alterations in the fetal brain.
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a. True b. False Indicate whether the statement is true or false
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