Practice Test: Maternal Characteristics

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cognitive skills are lower than normal. if still malnourished after birth than become apathetic and quickly irritated when aroused. this can affect the parent child relationship and lead parents to fail to provide loving stimulating play.
helps to prevent down syndrome, spina bifida, anencephaly and other defects of the neural tube.
should consist of high protein, high-calorie foods where you gain 2-5 pounds during the first 3 months and about a pound a week there after for a total increase of 25-35 pounds. If malnourished baby's growth will be stunted, will be underweight. if happens in 1st trimester spinal cord may not form. 3rd trimester leads to small heads, may die within first year of life.
if mother is happy and excited she produces adreneline which can cross the placental barrier and stimulate motor activity from baby. If mother is stressed this decreases fetal motor activity. baby also can sense when mother is stressed which can induce changes on the fetus.
exercise regularly (if you have in the past, don't start anything new), diet well, be emotionally happy and stress free, have a child between age 16-35
can weaken mother's immune system and make her more susceptible to diseases. also stressed mothers are generally more inclined to eat poorly, smoke, drink, or used drugs.