Explain the Potential Effects of Five

Different Life Factors on the Development

of an Individual
by RobynBanks1 | studymode.com

P2 Explain the potential effects of five different life factors on the development of an
individual Genetics affect who you will grow to be in many ways. Deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA) is the language of life that is within every living thing, genetic instructions that form
what we will become. There is still much of the language that scientists dont understand, but
after extensive research scientists have found that certain gene codes actually relate to
increased chances of developing a cancer or disease. We only have to look at family
medical histories to know that is true, some diseases are clearly more common in families
than in unrelated people. But whether a genetic predisposition actually makes a person ill
depends on the interaction between genes and the environment. For example you are much
more likely to develop lung cancer within your lifetime if your parents/grandparents have had
it; it is likely that you have been handed down a gene that increases your risk of developing
it. However if you smoke regularly and do little exercise then you are putting yourself at an
increased risk of developing it sooner and more rapidly. Genetics also affect our
appearances, body shape and how tall we can become. Half our chromosomes come from
our mother and the other from our father. Our appearances tend to more or less a mix of our
mother and fathers however some of our attributes of appearance may be similar to our
grandparents. As genes can sometimes seemingly miss a generation but the genes are still
passed down just not aesthetically visible. Our genes also affect the timing of when puberty
occurs, but environmental factors such as nutrition also have an effect. Biological influences
are things that affect a child before birth, better known as a foetus at this stage of
development. However, this does not only include the time period from conception till birth,
the 3 months prior to conception are also very important when it comes to a childs
development. For example, a mother who smokes regularly in the 3 months before
conception or during pregnancy puts themselves at double risk of developing placental
problems and therefore increases the risk of danger to their baby. There are a few different
placental problems that could occur, I wont go into great detail but some require a
caesarean section. This would mean a long recovery in hospital putting stress upon the
mother and withholding important early bonding time. Another problem that could occur is an
early rupture of the membrane which will induce labour before the baby is fully developed;
missing out on crucial development time in the womb can cause various health problems.
Chances of placental abruption are also increased, which is separation of the placenta from
the attachment site which causes problems for both the mother and the foetus. Smoking
also impairs the development of the placenta, which is problematic because it reduces blood

flow to the foetus. When the placenta doesnt develop fully the umbilical cord, which
transfers oxygen and nutrients from the mothers blood, cant transfer enough oxygen and
nutrients to the foetus. Without a generous and regular supply of these vital nutrients the
baby will not be able to fully grow and develop. It also increases the chance of developing
placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta grows over the cervical opening. Smoking
may harm the unborn baby's lungs and cause birth defects. Babies born to women who
smoke during pregnancy also have roughly 30% higher odds of being born prematurely. [1]
French academics in an IVF clinic did a study with time lapse photography to show that
embryos of smoking women develop more slowly. Researchers watched 868 embryos
develop 139 from smokers. They took regular pictures of an egg from the moment it was
fertilised until it was ready to be implanted into the mother. As eggs fertilised through IVF
initially develop in the laboratory before being implanted in the mother, it gave doctors a
unique opportunity to film the embryos as they divide into more and more cells. At all stages
of development the embryos from smokers were consistently a couple of hours behind. [2]
The study cannot say what impact the slower development has, or if it affects the chances of
successfully giving birth to a child but slow development can be related to various different
health problems when the foetus is born and also developing them in later life. Mothers who
drink alcohol also put their child at risk of developing slowly. Recent research suggests that a
mother who drinks a large glass of wine a day stunts their childs growth up to the age of
nine. Scientists at Harvard Medical School found pregnant women who had three units of
alcohol a day had babies with a lower height, weight and head circumference than light or
non-drinkers. [3] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2188846/Women-drink-pregnancyaffect-child-s-growth-years.html The researchers tested a group of 85 pregnant women,
defined as heavy drinkers, who drank the equivalent of at least a large glass of wine a day
(250ml). This group was compared with a group of 63 women who either did not drink at all
or drank lightly defined as less than one unit a day. The study is one of the longestrunning into the effects of alcohol on the unborn child, their childrens height, weight and
head circumference was measured at the ages of six months, a year, five years and nine
years. Lead author Dr Robert Carter said: 'We found that children born to women who drank
heavily during pregnancy had reductions in weight, height, and head circumference, an
indicator of brain growth. This alcohol-related growth restriction was present in early infancy
and persisted through to nine years of age.' He also said the effects may be permanent and
affect brain development, giving children a lower IQ for life. So not only do drinking mothers
effect development in the womb, evidence has shown that it effects their physical growth
throughout childhood. Also more importantly it is thought that their brain development could
be effected which would affect intellectual and emotional development throughout life. When
you are pregnant it is important to watch what goes into your body, as what goes into you
goes into your baby too. As oxygen and nutrients are passed through the body and then into
the baby any other substances in the blood will be passed to them too, some of which could
be seriously harmful to the foetus. All medicines and drugs should be taken with extreme
caution and only if strongly recommended by a doctor that the benefit to you is greater than
the risk to the baby. Of course illegal street drugs should be avoided at all costs, pregnant
or not, but Ill move on to that later. Prescription drugs and even over the counter medicines

can still be extremely harmful to the foetus and cause serious development problems. Even
though there have been studies in the U.S and here in the U.K it cannot be certain that any
drug is 100% safe to take during pregnancy and some of the evidence from these studies
have insufficient data to determine the safety. Its very important to pay attention to the
medication you take whilst pregnant, especially in the first trimester which is a crucial time
for baby development. It is recommended that if you were taking prescription medication
before you were pregnant that you ask a doctor about the safety of continuing these
medications. The benefit to you and the risk to your baby will be weighed up by the
professional when making their recommendations. With some medications and conditions,
the risk of not taking them may be more serious than the potential risk associated with taking
them. All this depends on the individual and the circumstances. Taking certain prescription
medications can cause serious birth defects. Aspirin may cause cardiac problems and low
birth weight. Dextromethorphan, an active ingredient in cough medicine increases the risk of
birth defects. Ephedrine may cause heart-rate problems and birth defects. Cardiac
malfunction is also an effect of ibuprofen. Accutane causes major birth defects. There are
many over-the-counter and prescription drugs that may be harmful to an unborn baby and
professional advice should always be sought after about all medications taken. High levels of
caffeine can cause low birth weight, lung problems, mental disabilities and birth defects. It is
because of this that experts recommend no more than 200mg of caffeine per day during
pregnancy. Glues and solvents may cause low birth weight, facial and heart defects, joint
issues and small head size. Even some herbal remedies have been proven to be dangerous
to the foetus during pregnancy, therefore it is always appropriate to check everything with
family planner/health visitor.
The effects of illegal drugs can be far more dangerous to the baby. Major birth defects,
miscarriage, low birth weight, physical deformities and more specifically heart and organ
abnormalities. Cocaine use has been shown to increase the risk of placental abruption,
cocaine addiction in the foetus and material dearth. Cannabis can cause learning and
behavioural problems. Ecstasy has been linked to learning and memory disabilities.
Methamphetamine use may cause IUGR, a condition that impairs foetal growth and could
result in stillbirth or the delivery of a low birth weight baby. Heroine use during pregnancy
may cause premature birth and congenital abnormalities. About 3% of newborns have a
"major physical anomaly", meaning a physical anomaly that has cosmetic or functional
significance. Congenital anomalies involving the brain are the largest group at 10 per 1000
live births, compared to heart at 8 per 1000, kidneys at 4 per 1000, and limbs at 1 per 1000.
All other physical anomalies have a combined incidence of 6 per 1000 live births. Congenital
anomalies of the heart have the highest risk of death in infancy, accounting for 28% of infant
deaths due to congenital anomaly, while chromosomal anomalies and respiratory anomalies
each account for 15%, and brain anomalies about 12%.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congenital_abnormality The effects of cocaine include major birth
defects, miscarriage, low birth weight, physical deformities, and heart and organ
abnormalities. Cocaine use increases the risk of placental abruption, cocaine addiction in the
fetus, and maternal death. Marijuana use can cause learning and behavioral problems.

Ecstasy has been linked to learning and memory disabilities. Methamphetamine use may
cause IUGR, a condition that impairs fetal growth and could result in stillbirth or the delivery
of a low birth weight baby. Heroin use during pregnancy may cause premature birth and
congenital abnormalities.
You often hear the word environment, but do you stop to think what it really means, what it
contains, and how it affects you? The actual definition of environment is the circumstances,
objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded (Merriam-Webster dictionary).
http://www.studymode.com/essays/Environmental-Factors-Of-Human-Growth-380528.html By ImmaniJayy, Aug 2010 Environmental factors can have a strong influence on the
development of an individual. In the context of environmental health, the term environmental
exposure means contaminants of the natural environment of air, water, and soil. Chemicals
such as metals and solvents and biological agents such as toxins released from mould and
bacteria. The term also encompasses lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity. For
common diseases such as obesity and asthma, environmental exposure represents an
important factor contributing to the development and progression of disease. Whether an
individual develops disease as a result of environmental exposure also depends on the type
of exposure, amount of exposure and the timing of exposure with regard to a persons age
and stage of development. Although samples of chemicals and toxins can be taken from
various different environments, this does not effectively measure the amount of exposure an
individual is susceptible to. Sometimes exposure to humans is tested through blood or urine
samples, measured by the amount of a specific chemical, biological or dietary factor. These
measurements will tell us how much a person was exposed to but they provide no
information about how an individual is responding. There is also a lack of accuracy in
measuring environmental influences and the bodys response to these factors. Illnesses
such as pneumonia are more likely to