Unit2Disc1LifeSpan

Unit2Disc1LifeSpan

Environmental Influences on Prenatal Development

There are three types of environmental influences on prenatal development:

• Teratogens – substances taken or absorbed by the mother during pregnancy that produce fetal deformities.
• Nutrition – the impact of abundance or lack of sufficient supply.
• Stress – the impact of stress hormones on an infant's neuroendocrine system.

Using the assigned readings for this unit and other professional literature, describe and discuss one of these environmental influences on prenatal development.