Life Before Birth: the Challenges of Fetal Development (Second Edition) PDF Download

Author: Peter W. Nathanielsz
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781735989617
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
We pass more biological milestones before birth than any other time in our lives. Peter W. Nathanielsz writes that how we develop in the womb is the most fascinating biological story, central to our life-time health. The first edition of Life Before Birth, published in twelve languages, was the first evidence-based book on the science of fetal development, easily accessible for the general reader. This unique book unlocks the awe-inspiring biology that unfolds as fetuses live and grow in one environment, the womb, while simultaneously preparing for independent life in a very different previously unexperienced world. The new edition shows how the placenta functions as a fetal lung, gut, kidney and multiple glands. Just as training prepares a track athlete, fetal preparations determine performance when the great event of birth occurs. The development of a unique fetal blood system that changes within minutes when the placenta is lost at birth is a truly dramatic story.

Author: Albany Bonnie Steinbock Associate Professor of Philosophy & Public Policy State University of New York
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199759685
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
Hardly a day passes without newspaper coverage of some new development regarding prenatal life. The abortion debate continues to rage, but other examples abound: forced Caesareans; prosecutions of women for drug use during pregnancy; fetal protection policies; the use of fetal tissue for transplantation; embryo research; and the disposition of frozen embryos. All of these issues raise the question of the moral status of the unborn: are embryos and fetuses part of the pregnant woman or are they persons? Are they sources of tissue, research tools, or are they pre-born children? Different conceptions of the unborn prevail in different contexts, giving rise to the charge of inconsistency. For example, women have been criminally charged with abusing their fetuses by using drugs during pregnancy, even though abortion--which pro-lifers call the ultimate child abuse--is legal. The legalization of abortion itself was based in part on the unborn's never having been recognized in law as a full legal person. Yet fetuses have been considered as persons for the purposes of insurance coverage, wrongful death suits, and vehicular homicide. This book provides a framework for thinking clearly and coherently about the unborn. The first chapter elaborates the book's basic idea, that all and only beings who have interests have moral standing, and only beings who possess conscious awareness have interests. This thesis, which is called "the interest view," raises issues of considerable philosophical complexity, but is presented in language non-philosophers will be able to understand. Subsequent chapters apply the interest view, and explore the moral and legal aspects of a wide range of issues, including abortion, the legal status of the fetus outside abortion, maternal-fetal conflict, fetal research, and the use and disposition of extracorporeal embryos resulting from the new reproductive technologies. The philosophical discussion is enlivened by examples and actual cases which immediately catch, and sustain, the reader's interest. Written in a lively style, Life Before Birth: The Moral and Legal Status of Embryos and Fetuses is a timely and important work that enables us to resolve contradictions in our current thinking about the unborn, and to approach new issues in a clear and rational manner.

Author: Peter Nathanielsz
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781735989624
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Life before birth: The challenges of fetal development, is the first book written, expressly for the general reader about how our fetal organs develop in the womb, how the mother and fetus collaborate during birth and how the newborn adapts to independent life after birth.

Author: Arthur Janov
Publisher: Nti Upstream
ISBN: 9780983639602
Category : Fetus
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The author believes the period of our lives that has the greatest impact on disease and personality formation is our gestation and birth. Recent studies provide evidence that fetal imprinting, an evolutionary strategy to prepare children to cope with life, establishes a permanent set-point in a child's physiology. Mothers highly anxious during pregnancy may give birth to babies prone to mental illness and disease in later life. Low oxygen at birth, drugs taken during pregnancy, and a lack of parental affection in the first years of life may have similar adverse affects. The author puts a case for a reorientation of our approaches to pregnancy and the use of drugs, and above all, to the modes of psychotherapy we implement to treat everything from phobias and compulsions to anxiety and depression.--From book jacket.

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309493382
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 621

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Book Description
Children are the foundation of the United States, and supporting them is a key component of building a successful future. However, millions of children face health inequities that compromise their development, well-being, and long-term outcomes, despite substantial scientific evidence about how those adversities contribute to poor health. Advancements in neurobiological and socio-behavioral science show that critical biological systems develop in the prenatal through early childhood periods, and neurobiological development is extremely responsive to environmental influences during these stages. Consequently, social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors significantly affect a child's health ecosystem and ability to thrive throughout adulthood. Vibrant and Healthy Kids: Aligning Science, Practice, and Policy to Advance Health Equity builds upon and updates research from Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity (2017) and From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development (2000). This report provides a brief overview of stressors that affect childhood development and health, a framework for applying current brain and development science to the real world, a roadmap for implementing tailored interventions, and recommendations about improving systems to better align with our understanding of the significant impact of health equity.

Author: Annie Murphy Paul
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0743296621
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
Paul presents an in-depth examination of how personalities are formed by biological, social, and emotional factors.

Author: David Chamberlain
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1583945695
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 239

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Book Description
A pioneering birth psychologist combines a lifetime’s worth of research with new findings to provide a fascinating look inside the minds of unborn children In the past, the invisible physical processes of fetal development were mysterious and largely unexplainable. But thanks to breakthroughs in embryology, interuterine photography, ultrasound, and other sensitive instruments of measurement, we can now make systematic observations inside the womb—and can see that fetuses are fully sentient, aware beings. In this new climate of appreciation for the surprising dimensions of fetal behavior, sensitivity, and intelligence, Windows to the Womb brings a host of new information to light about the transformative journey each one of us undergoes in the womb. Birth psychologist Dr. David Chamberlain describes the amazing construction of our physical bodies—the "ultimate architecture"—and draws parallels with the expansion of our minds as our brains and senses develop and grow. He also details new discoveries in embryonic and fetal research that support his own findings on the impact of the mother's emotional and physical state during pregnancy; the importance of bonding at the earliest stages; and the steps that expectant parents can take to ensure the most nurturing start in life for their children.

Author: Frank Dye
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1351130277
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 425

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Book Description
This textbook presents essential and accessible information about human embryology including practical information on human health issues and recent advances in human reproductive technology. Starting with biological basics of cell anatomy and fertilization, the author moves through the development of specific organs and systems, before addressing social issues associated with embryology. Each chapter includes specific objectives, general background, study questions, and questions to inspire critical thinking. Human Life Before Birth also contains two appendices and a full glossary of terms covered in the text. Clinicians and researchers in this field will find this volume indispensable. Key selling features: Explores all the developmental and embryological events that occur in human emryonic and fetal life Reviews basic cell biology, genetics, and reproduction focusing entirely on humans Summarizes the development of various anatomical systems Examines common birth defects and sexually transmitted diseases including emerging concerns such as Zika Documents assisted fertilization technologies and various cultural aspects of reproduction

Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309132975
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 287

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Book Description
It's obvious why only men develop prostate cancer and why only women get ovarian cancer. But it is not obvious why women are more likely to recover language ability after a stroke than men or why women are more apt to develop autoimmune diseases such as lupus. Sex differences in health throughout the lifespan have been documented. Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health begins to snap the pieces of the puzzle into place so that this knowledge can be used to improve health for both sexes. From behavior and cognition to metabolism and response to chemicals and infectious organisms, this book explores the health impact of sex (being male or female, according to reproductive organs and chromosomes) and gender (one's sense of self as male or female in society). Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health discusses basic biochemical differences in the cells of males and females and health variability between the sexes from conception throughout life. The book identifies key research needs and opportunities and addresses barriers to research. Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health will be important to health policy makers, basic, applied, and clinical researchers, educators, providers, and journalists-while being very accessible to interested lay readers.

Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309324882
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 587

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Book Description
Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.