A | B |
fertilization | the union of a male sperm cell and a female egg cell |
implantation | a process in which the zygote attaches to the uterine wall |
embryo | te cluster of cells taht develop between the third and eighth weeks of pregnancy |
fetus | de developing group of cells after about the eighth week of pregnancy |
amniotic sac | a thin, fluid-filled membrane that surrounds and protects the developing embryo |
umbilical cord | a ropelike structure that connects the embryo and the mother;s placenta |
placenta | a thick, blood-rich tissue that lines the walls of the uterus during pregnancy and nourishes the embryo |
labor | the final stage of pregnancy in which the uterus contracts and pushes the baby out of the mother's body |
prenatal care | steps that a pregnant female can take to provide for her own health and the health of her baby |
birthing center | a facility in which women with low-risk pregnancies can deliver their babies in a homelike setting |
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) | a group of alcohol-related birth defects that includes both physical and mental problems |
miscarriage | the spontaneous expulsion of a fetus that occurs before the twentieth week of a pregnancy |
stillbirth | a dead fetus expelled from the body after the twentieth week |
heredity | the passing of traits from parents to their children |
chromosomes | threadlike structures found within the nucleus of a cell that carry codes for inherited traits |
genes | the basic units of heredity |
DNA | the chemical unit tat makes up chromosomes |
genetic disorder | disorders caused partly or completely by a defect in genes |
amniocentesis | a procedure in whih a syringe is inserted through a pregnant female's abdominal wall into the amniotic fluid surrounding the developing fetus |
chorionic villi sampling | a procedure in which a small piece of membrane is removed from teh chorion, a layer of tissue that develops into the placenta |
gene therapy | the process of inserting normal genes into human cells to correct genetic disorders |
developmental tasks | events that need to happen in order for a person to continue growing toward becoming a healthy, mature adult |
autonomy | the confidence that a person can control his or her own body, impulses, and environment |
scoliosis | an abnormal lateral, or side-to-side, cirvature of the spine |