Pre Natal Development:

Physical and Cognitive

Development
Presented by: Anushka Sharma
Arushi Gupta
Ayushi Pawar
Drisshyaa Duggal
Prakher Chatterjee
Rashika Gupta
Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Characteristics and How it begins
• Periods of Pre Natal Development
• Physical Hazards of Pre Natal Development
• Physical Development
• Cognitive Development
 Introduction
• Prenatal development, also called antenatal development, in humans,
the process encompassing the period from the formation of
an embryo, through the development of a fetus, to birth
(or parturition).
• Pre Natal Development is used to describe the growth and maturation
that takes place in a growing foetus from conception until birth.
• The brain develops over the course of the prenatal period, but it will
continue to go through more changes during the early years of
childhood
 Germinal Stage of Prenatal
Development
• The germinal stage begins at conception when the sperm and egg cell unite in one of
the two fallopian tubes.
• The fertilized egg is called a zygote.
• Just a few hours after conception, the single-celled zygote begins making a journey
down the fallopian tube to the uterus.
• Through the process of mitosis, the zygote first divides into two cells, then into four,
eight, sixteen, and so on. This Cell division continues at a rapid rate during the
approximately week-long journey from fallopian tube to uterus wall.
• By the time this stage is complete, the fertilised egg has developed into a Blastocyst.
Three Layers are:
1. Ectoderm: Skin and nervous system
2. Endoderm: Digestive and respiratory systems
3. Mesoderm: Muscle and skeletal systems
 Embryonic Stage of Prenatal
Development
• This is the second stage of pre-natal development. In this stage zygote
becomes an embryo
• The beginning of the third week after conception marks the start of the
embryonic period, a time when the mass of cells becomes distinct as a
human.
• embryonic stage plays an important role in the development of the brain.
• The production of neurons, or brain cells, begins around day 42 after
conception and is mostly complete sometime around the middle of
pregnancy.
• By the end of the embryonic period, the basic structures of the brain and
central nervous system have been established. At this point, the basic
structure of the peripheral nervous system is also defined.
 Fetal Stage of Prenatal
Development
• This is the third stage of pre-natal development. It lasts for about 7 months.
• The fetal period of prenatal develop marks more important changes in the
brain.
• This period of development begins during the ninth week and lasts until
birth.
• This stage is marked by amazing change and growth.
• months four through six, the heartbeat grows stronger and other body
systems become further developed. Fingernails, hair, eyelashes, and toenails
form
• During the period from seven months until birth, the fetus continues to
develop, put on weight, and prepare for life outside the womb. The lungs
begin to expand and contract, preparing the muscles for breathing.
Characteristics of Pre Natal
Development
The prenatal period is the most important and first period of
development in the life span.
• This is the shortest period for the infancy or newborn baby, which
starts from the beginning and ends at the birth time of the baby. This
period is approximately 270 to 280 days or nine months.
• Heredity is one of the important factors for prenatal development. It
serves as the foundation for later development. The changes will be
quantitative and not qualitative.
• Favorable and unfavorable conditions of the mother's body can foster
the development of hereditary abilities.
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• The sex of the baby is fixed at the time of conception. The sex of the
individual, determined at the time of conception, remains the same
and doesn't change, except surgery is used for sex transformation.
• During the prenatal period, proportionately greater growth and
development take place than any other time throughout the entire of
a human.
Life begins when a sperm (a mature male germ cell) and an ovum (a
mature female germ cell) unite to form one single cell called “egg” or
“zygote”, which as of that moment, will undergo a series of divisions
that will ultimately result in the birth of an infant. This initial process is
known as fertilization, and it physiologically takes place in the female’s
uterine tubes. From the Fallopian tubes, this new life reaches the
uterus where it will lodge and continue to grow during nine months
until birth.
 Period of Pre Natal Development
• Ten lunar months of 28 days in length of 9 calendar months.
• As per Meredith the average length is 38 weeks or 266 days.

Periods of Pre Natal Development can be divided into 3 categories:

1. Period of Zygote: Passes down from fallopian tube to uterus where it
divides many times and separates into outer and inner layers. outer layer
develops into placenta, umbilical cord amniotic sac.
2. Period of Embryo: After fertilization the zygote becomes embryo and after
end of second week to end of second lunar month, it develops into a
miniature human being. Major development occurs in head regions first
and in limbs at last to establish essential features of the body.
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3. Period of Fetus: Duration is from second lunar month to birth. By the end of
third lunar month, some internal organs are well enough developed to begin
to function, fetal heartbeat can be detected by about fifteenth week. By the
end of fifth lunar month the different organs take up place like present in an
adult human body.
 Physical Hazards
• Developmental disabilities can occur singly or concurrently in one person.
They might involve a cognitive or sensory difficulty, social or
communications/language-related problem, a motor impairment, adaptive
delay or some combination of these.
Conditions that influence Physical Hazards:
• Timing, intensity, hormones, age, etc.
• Female hormones (estrogen, progesterone) when taken in the early stages
of pregnancy may cause congenital heart disease in the child. (only if the
hormones are taken in first two lunar months).
• Maternal malnutrition an play havoc with the development of the fetal
brain. Smoking and drinking are detrimental to normal development.
• Older women tend to have smaller babies and can have more
complications at birth. Chances of child having Down’s syndrome increases
as age advances in women.
• A study has also found that infants of heroin addict mothers have difficulty
in behavior up to 2 years. The long term effects of maternal rubella during
pregnancy persist as shown by the fact that children with visual and
hearing problem resulting from maternal rubella are delayed in reaching
the normal development milestone at least until their 8 years old.
 Physical Development
First Trimester:
• A healthy first trimester is crucial to the normal development of the fetus.
The mother-to-be may not be showing much on the outside, but inside her
body all the major body organs and systems of the fetus are forming .
As the embryo implants itself into the uterine wall, several developments
take place, including:
• Amniotic Sac-A sac filled with amniotic fluid, called the amniotic sac,
surrounds the fetus throughout the pregnancy. The amniotic fluid is liquid
made by the fetus and the amnion (the membrane that covers the fetal
side of the placenta) that protects the fetus from injury .
• Placenta-The placenta is an organ shaped like a flat cake that only grows
during pregnancy. It attaches to the uterine wall with tiny projections called
villi.
• Umbilical Cord-The umbilical cord is a rope-like cord connecting the fetus to
the placenta. The umbilical cord contains two arteries and a vein, which
carry oxygen and nutrients to the fetus and waste products away
Second Trimester:
• During the second trimester, the umbilical cord continues to thicken as it
carries nourishment to the fetus. However, harmful substances also pass
through the umbilical cord to the fetus, so care should be taken to avoid
alcohol, tobacco and other known hazards.
During the second trimester, both your body and the fetus continue to grow .
Fetal development during the second trimester includes the following:
• The Fetus starts kicking
• Fingernails have grown on the tips of the fingers and toes, and the fingers
and toes are fully separated.
• The eyes have been gradually moving to the front of the face, and the ears
have moved from the neck to the sides of the head. The fetus can hear
your voice.
Third Trimester:
• During the third trimester, the fetus continues to grow in size and weight. The
lungs are still maturing. The fetus starts to position itself head-down. By the
end of the third trimester, the fetus is about 19 to 21 inches long and weighs
about 6 to 9 pounds. Development during the third trimester includes:

• The fetus can see and hear.

• The brain continues to develop.

• The kidneys and lungs continue to mature.

 Cognitive Development

• Cognitive development refers to the growth and progression of various

mental processes, including perception, memory, problem-solving,
language, and reasoning. While cognitive development is typically
associated with postnatal growth, some aspects of cognitive development
begin during the prenatal period, which is the time from conception to
birth.
• Here are some key points about cognitive development in the prenatal
period:
1. Neural Development: The development of the brain begins early in the
prenatal period. Neural stem cells multiply and differentiate into specialized
neurons, forming the foundation for the brain's structure and function.
2. Synaptogenesis: Synaptogenesis is the process of forming synapses, which
are connections between neurons. This process begins in the prenatal period
and continues through early childhood.
3. Sensory Perception: While still in the womb, fetuses can perceive sensory
information from their environment.
4. Habituation and Learning: Studies have shown that fetuses can habituate to
repeated stimuli, meaning they become less responsive to familiar stimuli over
time.
Overall, while some foundational processes of cognitive development start
during the prenatal period, it is the postnatal experiences and interactions that
have the most significant impact on a child's cognitive growth and potential.
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