Introduction to Developmental Psychology II

Developmental psychologists consider the process of human development as it relates to physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development. This lifespan development is organized into different stages based on age.

Prenatal development is the process that occurs during the 40 weeks prior to the birth of a child, and is heavily influenced by genetics. There are three stages of prenatal development—germinal, embryonic, and fetal.

Prenatal development is also organized into trimesters: the first trimester ends with the end of the embryonic stage, the second trimester ends at week 20, and the third trimester ends at birth. While you might think of child development as something that begins during infancy, the prenatal period is also considered an important part of the developmental process.

Prenatal development is a time of remarkable change that helps set the stage for future psychological development.  The most vulnerable period for many of the fetal organs is very early in the pregnancy before the mother even knows she is pregnant.

Harmful substances that the mother ingests may harm the child. Cigarette smoking, for example, reduces the blood oxygen for both the mother and child and can cause a fetus to be born severely underweight. Another serious threat is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a condition caused by maternal alcohol drinking that can lead to numerous detrimental developmental effects, including limb and facial abnormalities, genital anomalies, and mental retardation.

1. The Perinatal Environment
2. Stage by stage Human development
3. An Overview of Development Brain Growth and Development
4. Pre-Natal Development In human development
5. Post-Natal Development In human development
6. Developmental milestones in neonatal perceptions
7.  Neural Development in Neonates
8. And many more.