Unit 13, Task 3 Resub
P5, P6
, In this assignment I will identify factors that affect the health of the foetus, and I will also identify
disabilities which occur in utero.
P5- Identify disabilities which occur in utero
Spina bifida
Spina bifida is a condition that occurs due to a lack of folic acid. Folic acid is needed before
conceiving and then during the early stages of pregnancy. Spina bifida is a type of birth defect called
a neural tube defect, this is when something goes wrong in the process of the embryo growing the
neural tube, which will eventually form the spine and nervous system. It occurs when the bones of
the spine don’t form properly around parts of the baby’s spinal cord. Spina bifida can be mild or
severe, although the mild form is the most common. The exact cause of spina bifida is unknown, but
several things can increase your risk of having a baby with the condition. The most significant factor
being a lack of folic acid before and in the early stages of pregnancy. Your baby can also develop
spina bifida if there is a family history of it. Health professionals can check if the baby has spina
bifida by carrying out several blood tests and a scan will be taken to look at the baby in detail.
Children with mild spina bifida usually don’t need treatment, but children with severe spina bifida
may need to have surgery to help with the pain.
Down’s syndrome
While down syndrome is often diagnosed shortly after birth, it is being increasingly diagnosed during
pregnancy due to abnormal ultrasound scans. Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by
an error in cell division that results in an extra 21 st chromosome. The condition leads to impairments
in both cognitive ability and physical growth that range from mild to moderate developmental
disabilities. There are two types of tests for down syndrome during pregnancy. Firstly, a prenatal
screening test can be carried out, this can show an increased likelihood that a foetus has down
syndrome. However, it cannot determine if Down syndrome is present, as it is not an accurate test.
Another thing that can be done to determine whether a baby has down syndrome during pregnancy
is prenatal diagnostic test, this test can determine with certainty that down syndrome is present.
Foetal alcohol syndrome
If a woman drinks alcohol at any time while pregnant she risks
damaging her baby. The mental and physical problems that can develop in the baby are known as
foetal alcohol syndrome. It is completely avoidable if you don’t drink alcohol while pregnant. If the
mother does drink alcohol the alcohol passes from her blood to the baby’s causing damage to the
brain and spinal cord. Alcohol also damages important cells that the body needs in order to grow.
Alcohol is most harmful to the baby in the first three months of pregnancy because at this stage it
could lead to miscarriage. There is no safe amount to drink during pregnancy. The liver rids the body
of toxins but is one of the last organs in a baby to develop. Therefore, a baby cannot process alcohol.
P5, P6
, In this assignment I will identify factors that affect the health of the foetus, and I will also identify
disabilities which occur in utero.
P5- Identify disabilities which occur in utero
Spina bifida
Spina bifida is a condition that occurs due to a lack of folic acid. Folic acid is needed before
conceiving and then during the early stages of pregnancy. Spina bifida is a type of birth defect called
a neural tube defect, this is when something goes wrong in the process of the embryo growing the
neural tube, which will eventually form the spine and nervous system. It occurs when the bones of
the spine don’t form properly around parts of the baby’s spinal cord. Spina bifida can be mild or
severe, although the mild form is the most common. The exact cause of spina bifida is unknown, but
several things can increase your risk of having a baby with the condition. The most significant factor
being a lack of folic acid before and in the early stages of pregnancy. Your baby can also develop
spina bifida if there is a family history of it. Health professionals can check if the baby has spina
bifida by carrying out several blood tests and a scan will be taken to look at the baby in detail.
Children with mild spina bifida usually don’t need treatment, but children with severe spina bifida
may need to have surgery to help with the pain.
Down’s syndrome
While down syndrome is often diagnosed shortly after birth, it is being increasingly diagnosed during
pregnancy due to abnormal ultrasound scans. Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by
an error in cell division that results in an extra 21 st chromosome. The condition leads to impairments
in both cognitive ability and physical growth that range from mild to moderate developmental
disabilities. There are two types of tests for down syndrome during pregnancy. Firstly, a prenatal
screening test can be carried out, this can show an increased likelihood that a foetus has down
syndrome. However, it cannot determine if Down syndrome is present, as it is not an accurate test.
Another thing that can be done to determine whether a baby has down syndrome during pregnancy
is prenatal diagnostic test, this test can determine with certainty that down syndrome is present.
Foetal alcohol syndrome
If a woman drinks alcohol at any time while pregnant she risks
damaging her baby. The mental and physical problems that can develop in the baby are known as
foetal alcohol syndrome. It is completely avoidable if you don’t drink alcohol while pregnant. If the
mother does drink alcohol the alcohol passes from her blood to the baby’s causing damage to the
brain and spinal cord. Alcohol also damages important cells that the body needs in order to grow.
Alcohol is most harmful to the baby in the first three months of pregnancy because at this stage it
could lead to miscarriage. There is no safe amount to drink during pregnancy. The liver rids the body
of toxins but is one of the last organs in a baby to develop. Therefore, a baby cannot process alcohol.
