Factors that Affect a Developing Baby During Pregnancy

Environmental Effects on Fetal Development

Pregnant women are often overwhelmed with the number of precautions they must take to protect their unborn babies. It can be confusing to try to guess what will and won't affect the baby, and many women struggle with the limited number of things they can do during pregnancy. Several factors can affect your baby's growth and development during pregnancy. Here are the most important ones.

Teratogens A teratogen is an environmental toxin that can adversely affect a fetus's development. Teratogens include nicotine, caffeine, pollution, cleaning products and drugs (prescription, over the counter, and illegal). The effect a teratogen has on a baby differs depending upon when the baby is exposed. For example, some medications can harm fetal development in the first trimester but have little effect later in pregnancy. Consult your doctor before taking any medications and ask her what substances you should avoid exposure to.

Stress Maternal stress strongly affects fetal development. Women exposed to trauma during pregnancy are especially susceptible to miscarriage, and women with anxiety disorders may go into premature labor or give birth to babies with birth defects. You should do everything you can to minimize your stress during pregnancy, and this includes avoiding stress about the effect something has on a baby. Some doctors, for example, argue that the stress of giving up caffeine can be more damaging to a baby than the caffeine itself. Ask your doctor the best way to strike a balance between protecting your developing baby and worrying excessively.

Nutrition As most pregnant women know, nutrition strongly affects fetal health. Folic acid is a vital nutrient during pregnancy and can protect against a variety of birth defects and also lower the rate of miscarriage. Protein is also extremely important for fetal brain development. Vegetarian women and women on low-protein diets should strive to get protein from healthy sources. Similarly, excessive dieting can also damage a fetus.

Exercise
Moderate exercise can make labor and delivery easier and will help keep pregnant women healthy. Excessive exercise, however, can deprive a fetus of oxygen, particularly late in pregnancy. Ask your doctor about the appropriate amount of exercise while you are pregnant.