Religion And Culture Influence On Prenatal Development

There were numerous powerful testimonies and striking findings noted throughout the and first two chapters of the book Birth Matters by Ina May Gaskin. As a health care provider, and therefore someone who is entrusted to care for individuals during their most private and sacred times, I found Gaskin’s statements regarding the environment and care surrounding birth experiences very impactful. According to Gaskin (2011), the “women’s perceptions about their bodies and their babies’ capabilities will be deeply influenced by the care they recieve around the time of birth” (p. 22). The statements made by Gaskin in Birth Matters not only ring true, but inspires one

The research is discussing the effects of prenatal stress (PS) on the development of socioemotional symptoms as well as neurodevelopmental disorders. The study arises from existing literatures where a significant relationship has been established between prenatal stress and social deficits such as autism and attention-deficit hypersensitivity disorder among children and schizophrenia among adolescents. King et al. identifies exposures to environmental hardships and stressful events as the underlying factor in the development of PS (274). The aspect has a negative impact on the immune and endocrine system as well as neurological development (Charil et al. 56). Studies have revealed that PS affects several aspects of brain development in the fetal stage. It increases rate of cell death and reduces rate of proliferation in the hypothalamus-pituitary axis (Schoenfeld and Gould 15).

Childhood maltreatment is a prevalent problem through out the world. As a child grows and matures the brain continues to develop according its experiences. During this time sensitive periods of development for different areas of the brain. A few areas that are of interest are the stress-influenced areas, which are at an increased risk for developmental problems when exposed to maltreatment. The extra stress from such exposures can influence abnormalities throughout the brain, which have been linked to structure changes with in the corpus callosum, anterior cingulate, dorsolateral prefrontal, orbitofrontal cortex, and hippocampus, amygdala, and cerebellum, as well as changes to stress related hormone systems. These structural changes are associated with an increased risk of psychopathology and other life long educational and physiological risk.

A Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is a test that “allows future parents to detect genetic defects that cause inherited disease in human embryos before they are implanted.” One of the most ethical questions that one might ask before considering the PGD is whether the benefits of genetic knowledge outweigh harmful effects that occur to the embryo? Is it really worth manipulating embryos genes in order to achieve the desire of the parents? Often times we have to take into considerations the risk and benefits of each situation. I believe that the PGD test should be only be done to detect genetic defects, but it should not be used to manipulate genes in order to make what to them is a “perfect” child. As stated in our text, “ In the united Kingdom alteration of an embryos genes, even for gene therapy or cloning embryos is illegal.” By manipulating genes its like going against Gods wishes. In the eyes of God every person that comes into this world is equally seen as a human being because they are all created in “ the image of God.” In this case the parents should not be allowed to manipulate the genes of their unborn child just to accommodate to their

However, to understand the impact of adversity on young children’s development and learning, our genes supply the basic blueprint for brain development. “Thus, toxic stress in early childhood not only is a risk factor for later risky behavior but also can be a direct source of biological injury or disruption that may have lifelong consequences independent of whatever circumstances might follow later in life (Shonoff and Garner, 2012, page 238). Poverty, neglect, or family stress can make it especially difficult for young children to develop the self-discipline and habits of mind they will need to succeed in the classroom and beyond. Researchers have found that chronic, sustained stress, such as that caused by neglect, abuse, or deprivation,

The ACE Study was designed to answer the question: “If risk factors for disease, disability, and early mortality are not randomly distributed, what early life influences precede the adoption or development of them (preventchildabuse.org)?” Adverse Childhood Experience does not evoke preconceived notions or biases about the perpetrators or victims of child abuse, domestic violence, or persons with mental health or substance abuse issues. The term “adverse” implies stress. However, the biologic stress response is largely responsible for the negative impact of ACEs on brain development. “Experiences” was the term chosen rather than “Environment” because the latter term can imply exposure to environmental toxins. As framed by the study, “Childhood” refers to the first 18 years of life (preventchildabuse.org).

Tanner (2017) found that “the damage that happens to kids from the infectious disease of toxic stress is as severe as the damage from meningitis or polio”( ). It's terribly frightening that the exposure to stress even in small doses over time can affect one's physical health, especially someone as young as a teenager. Consistent stress has a destructive impact on the brain, and according to Tanner, “persistent stress can alter brain structure in regions affecting emotions and regulating behavior (“How”). If schools, parents, and teachers aren’t careful the very thing they seek to create in school, a student, can be tainted by their own actions. Overwhelmed students will turn to procrastination and avoidance to alleviate the pressures of homework.

Biologically, childhood maltreatment can have an effect on cortisol regulation (Alink, Cicchetti, Kim, and Rogosch, 2012). Cortisol is stress hormone produced by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis (Alink, et al., 2012). In response the stress, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is released by the hypothalamus (Alink, et al., 2012). The release of CRH triggers the pituitary gland to release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which then causes adrenal cortex to release corticosteroids (cortisol) (Alink, et al., 2012). The sensitivity of the HPA axis receptors may decrease or increase when stress is prolonged (Alink, et al., 2012).. This alteration is the HPA axis affects cortisol production, and

Child maltreatment has a negative effect on health and it can cause stress that disrupts early brain development. Extreme stress can harm the development of the nervous and immune systems. As a result, children who are abused or neglected are at higher risk for health problems as adults. These problems include alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, eating disorders, obesity, high-risk sexual behaviors, smoking, suicide, and certain chronic diseases such a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). MRI scans indicate that maltreated children suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder have significantly smaller brains

These adaptive mechanisms can become maladaptive if unresolved after precipitating events have passed, leading to interferences in emotional regulation (Liston, McEwen, & Casey, 2009; Juster et al., 2011). Imaging studies show alterations in the brain structures that assist in regulation of the stress response—the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex—due to prolonged exposure to stress (Carrion et al. 2010; Rao et al. 2010). The over activation of this fear circuitry in the brain can lead to distorted processing, contributing to depression (Thienkrua et al., 2006; Neria, Besser, Kiper, & Westphal, 2010; Rao et al., 2010), anxiety (Derryberry and Reed, 2002; Goldin et al., 2009; Graham and Milad, 2014), and mood impairments (Kobasa, 1979; Linehan, 1993; Haller and Miles, 2004). These cognitive changes can also contribute to insomnia, chronic pain, addictive disorders, impairment of immunity, and development of coping mechanisms such as smoking, use of alcohol or drugs, overeating, and other survival mechanisms (Raja, 2012). The allostatic load of a chronically over-activated hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system can lead to development of comorbid health conditions such as cardiovascular disease,

Stressful environment is a key factor when it comes to child development. Stress can be the molding of a child’s life. There are several different contributing factor of stress that could affect a child. Stress for a child can come from many areas of their life, such as, in the home, neighborhood, school, community, family issues. However, it is extremely important to realize that there is no greater cause of stress to a child than from their parents (Blake 26). Witnessing verbal and physical abuse in the home is a very

Adverse childhood experiences, for one, can potentially cause extreme childhood trauma and lead to chronic stress. Overloading the Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPA axis) has the ability to cause recurring complexities and sends the body into an overdrive-like state. Paul Tough describes it as, “Overloading the HPA axis, especially in infancy and childhood, produces all kinds of serious and long-lasting negative effects—physical, psychological, and neurological.” (Tough, 13).

With the lack of certain resources, in the middle of my research, I decided to combine the details of the few cases I could find with my own knowledge of child abuse and with the small amount of information I discovered on www.headline.time.com to find out the mental process of a child who has experienced child abuse. This method helped me conduct my research of the mental process of a victim of child abuse, ultimately learning that a child who has experienced high-stress levels of maltreatment (child abuse) most likely has damage of the hippocampus which may affect his/her ability to cope with stress later in life. In other words, early stress makes the brain less resilient to the effects of later stress which leaves victims more vulnerable to depression, addiction, and post-traumatic stress

Dr. Jeanne Brooks (2015) stated that there are large amounts stress that is continuous and can become a traumatic experience to a child. Stressful reaction produce chemicals that can negatively impact neurological development. Some events that can traumatize a person some of these are: divorce, death, abuse/neglect, disasters, accidents, and illness (Brooks, 2015). There are many factors concerning how trauma affect a person and there spirituality can help in managing them along with some other form of therapy. According to Brooks (2015), children are said to be resilient and they are able to overcome traumatic events with little and sometime no impact. Traumatic events that occur early in a person’s life has an important impact on the development

Having taken this class I have come to understand a lot about my emotions and why I feel the way that I do about certain things throughout my life. Stress is something that has weighed heavy on me since a very young age. I have always wondered why I seemed to not be able to handle stress as well as my peers. Then I came to understand that mothers who experience high levels of stress during pregnancy release high levels of cortisol, and in turn this can have a lasting effect on the baby. (Wood, et. al., 2014) This includes the child not being able to deal with stress as well as he or she grows up and even an increased chance at the baby suffering from high blood pressure later in in life.