PSY 2114 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Teratology, Zygote, Prenatal Care

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 2114
• Professor: Joshua L. Rutt

Document Summary

Definition: a teratogen is any condition or agent that includes viruses, chemicals, drugs, etc. which can impair prenatal development. This impairment can result in complications and also birth defects. Depending on what the teratogen is, it may pose a greater risk at certain stages or during a certain range in pregnancy. Men can also produce teratogens. (ex: use of teratogenic products in an area where those teratogens come in contact with women can affect the pregnant fetus) Behavioural teratogens: impairment causing affect to the brain. Categories of teratogens: (all of these factors have the ability to affect prenatal development) * these teratogens aren"t only affective during pregnancy, but can begin affecting a female before she is even pregnant. * the embryo stage is most vulnerable to teratogens because of tissue development and differentiation. * the fetus stage is the lowest risk phase because each day is improving survival odds and the brain is continually growing.