Sasha Jones always wanted a child. She stayed awake at
night dreaming of the day when she would have a little baby to call her own.
She would love the baby with all of her heart. She felt certain that she was
meant to have children, for that’s what her prayers and faith told her. But if
that was what she felt so strongly, why had it taken her so long? And why
wasn’t she now pregnant? She had gotten every book, read every website, gone to
every class – foregoing her southern Islamic faith, she even went to an
astrologer. Still, she and her husband continued to try. She worried that her
health problems — high blood pressure and diabetes — were preventing her from
having a child. They were both growing weary of the disappointment and were
almost ready to give up. Then it happened – she was pregnant! She and Julius
were overjoyed. God had finally blessed them! They would start right away –
getting ready, picking out furniture, finally moving all of the stuff out of
the old upstairs office to make room for a nursery. She told all of the other
doctors at her office, and Julius shared the news with his staff.
1) What are the conditions that are most likely to lead to
healthy development of the human being?
2) What is the effect of the mother’s psychological state on
the health of the child in utero? Is there an effect?
3) How does the mother’s physical health
affect pregnancy? What are the effects of medications for high blood pressure
and diabetes on the developing child? Is Sasha still allowed to take her blood
pressure medications? What are the risks?
The conditions that would most likely lead to a healthy development of a human being is the mother having a positive experience while carrying the baby to full term. As for the rest of the development of a human being, it would be crucial to have great “systems” which provide an environment that encourages the human being to prosper best to its ability. The human being should have a healthy diet while staying active and making smart choices. The ecological system, microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem all intertwine allowing for the human being to develop. This is where the environment, the community, family, friends, values, food, shelter, and insurance come into play. The home is the place where the foundation of a human being is formed as the people the closest to them become their support system as they need their basic needs met along with learning to love and be loved. This allows them to have more intimate adult relationships later in their life.
ReplyDeleteStudies have shown that a mother’s psychological state can affect a baby’s temperature and neurobehavioral development in the womb. “Who you are and what you’re like when you’re pregnant will affect who that baby is,” says Janet DiPietro, a developmental psychologist at John Hopkins University. Since Sasha has wanted a child for so long she will be very excited and therefore will have a higher blood pressure. This will have a huge effect on the child in utero. Babies whose mothers were very stressed while pregnant could show signs of depression and irritability. Also since Sasha has health concerns she will be even more worried contributing to her stress levels which will negatively affect the baby. The mother is the key support system for the fetus. The fetus can learn, listen, and remember at some level therefore the more comforting the mother is the more reassuring the baby will feel. The baby will react to the sounds and can distinguish their mother’s voice from a stranger’s voice which Sasha will most likely talk to the baby as often as she can because has wanted a baby for so long.
The physical health can impose great danger for herself and the baby if she is not careful about it. The right kind of diet and exercise are important as the mother needs the right kind of nutrients for the baby to develop without any health concerns. Better physical health leads to stronger muscles which can be very useful during labor and a quicker recovery afterwards along with sleeping better and less stress for the mother and the baby. Women are more likely to have bigger babies due to higher levels of blood sugar while pregnant with diabetes, this is known as macrosomia. If Sasha were to be taking oral medication to control her diabetes then her doctor would most likely switch her over to insulin as it is safer for the baby and mother and her dosage would be adjusted as needed. Sasha would most likely carry her baby full term without any problems. Some medications are considered safe to be used during pregnancy for high blood pressure while Sasha should avoid others such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and renin inhibitors. The ACE inhibitors according to research are linked to major heart and brain problems in the newborn. Her doctor should prescribe her the safest medication at the appropriate dose so that her health is not in danger along with the baby’s health. If she were to stop taking her medications, the risks of having high blood pressure during pregnancy include decreased blood flow to the placenta, placental abruption, premature delivery, harm to the mother’s kidneys and other organs, and future cardiovascular disease including preeclampsia which is a very serious condition. Also the baby has a greater risk for heart malformations and neural tube defects. The risks of taking high blood pressure medication include for overall greater risk of all types of birth defects including early delivery and low birth weight.
References:
ReplyDeleteBerry, J. O. (2009). Families Within Communities. Lifespan Perspectives on the Family and Disability (2 ed., pp. 45 - 68). Austin: PRO-ED.
Diabetes and pregnancy. (n.d.). WebMD Diabetes Center: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Tests, and Treatments. Retrieved May 19, 2012, from http://diabetes.webmd.com/pregnancy-diabetes-and-pregnancy?page=2
Fetus to Mom: You're Stressing Me Out. (n.d.). MedicineNet. Retrieved May 18, 2012, from www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=51730&page=2
High blood pressure and pregnancy: Know the facts. (2011, June 30). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved May 18, 2012, from www.mayoclinic.com/health/pregnancy/PR00125