Introduce
The journey of human development begins long before birth, with the prenatal stage, commonly referred to as development in utero, spanning from conception to birth. A lot more than just physical development happens during the 40 weeks a baby spends growing in his or her mother’s womb.
The following video outlines the development stages of an unborn baby in relation to their gestation:
Develop
In the pre-conception stage there are many things to consider that can affect a pregnancy. The diagram below represents healthy behaviours, risk factors and wider influences.
Image source: Making the Case for Preconception Care. Public Health England
Understanding development in utero allows us to recognise the significance of early interventions, maternal health and supportive environments.
Reflect
Stop and Reflect: Use the following questions to reflect on the earliest stages of development:
– What surprised you most about the stages of prenatal development?
– Have you observed the impact of prenatal factors on later child development? What interventions and support were implemented in response?