1: the point at which something begins;
2: the first part;
3: origin, source;
4: a rudimentary stage or early period
From conception an individual’s developmental trajectory begins being shaped by the ecology around it—by factors such as the nutritional intake of its mother, the chemicals it is exposed to through its’ mother’s passive or direct consumption of them, and its’ mother’s stress level. Maternal undernourishment during the prenatal period has been linked to such conditions as later glucose intolerance2, 3—a risk factor for development of diabetes— increased rates of cardiovascular disease in adult children4, 5, 6, increased rates of obesity7, and problems with brain development8. Prenatal undernourishment is currently speculated to have multi-generational impact within families9. Prenatal exposure to drugs has been found to have both direct and indirect detrimental impacts on many areas, including later behavioral10 and cognitive11 development. Factors such as chronic maternal stress, anxiety, and depression during the prenatal period have been linked to lower infant birthweight and later development of behaviors such as ADHD, drug abuse, and mood and anxiety disorders12.
Sources:
1: Merriam Webster online dictionary. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beginnings
2, 4, 7: Painter, R. C., Roseboom, T. J., & Bleker, O. P. (2005). Prenatal exposure to the Dutch famine and disease in later life: An overview. Reproductive Toxicology, 20, 345-352
3: Ravelli, A. C. J., Van der Meulen, J. H. P., Michels, R. P. J., et al. (1998). Glucose tolerance in adults after prenatal exposure to famine. Lancet, 351(9097), 173.
5: Painter, R. C., de Rooj, S. R., Bossuyt, P. M., et al. (2006). Early onset of coronary artery disease after prenatal exposure to the Dutch famine. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 84, 322-327.
6: Roseboom, T. J., van der Meulen, J. H., Osmond, C., et al. (2000). Coronary heart disease after prenatal exposure to the Dutch famine. Heart, 84, 595-598.
8: Georgieff, M. K. (2007). Nutrition and the developing brain: Nutrient priorities and measurement. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(supplement), 614S-620S.
9: Roseboom, T. J., & Watson, E. D. (2012). Maternal-fetal resource allocation the next generation: Are the effects of prenatal nutrition transmitted across generations? Evidence from animal and human studies. Placenta, 33(supplement 2), e40-e44
10: Lester, B. M., Bagner, D. M., Liu, J., et al. (2009). Infant neurobehavioral dysregulation: Behavior problems in children with prenatal substance exposure. Pediatrics, 124(5), 1355-1362.
11: Howell, K. K., Lynch, M. E., Platzman, K. A., et al. (2006). Prenatal alcohol exposure and ability, academic achievement, and school functioning in adolescence: A longitudinal follow-up. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 31(1), 116-126.
12: Lupien, S. J., McEwen, B. S., Gunnar, M. R., & Heim, C. (2009). Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behavior and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10, 434-445.
In thinking about the many potentially harmful ecological influences on the beginning of an individual’s development, how could you help to create a healthy environment for expectant mothers and the seeds of life that they carry?
***feel free to do your own post and/or build off of others' posts to create a discussion forum***