Notes

Two decades ago, a British physician named David Barker noticed an odd correlation on a map: the poorest regions of England and Wales were the ones with the highest rates of heart disease. Why would this be, he wondered, when heart disease was supposed to be a condition of affluence — of sedentary lifestyles and rich food? He decided to investigate, and after comparing the adult health of some 15,000 individuals with their birth weight, he discovered an unexpected link between small birth size — often an indication of poor prenatal nutrition — and heart disease in middle age. Faced with an inadequate food supply, Barker conjectured, the fetus diverts nutrients to its most important organ, the brain, while skimping on other parts of its body — a debt that comes due decades later in the form of a weakened heart.
When he presented his findings to colleagues, he was greeted with hoots and jeers. "Heart disease was supposed to be all about genetics or adult lifestyle factors," says Barker, now 72 and a professor at the University of Southampton in England and at Oregon Health and Science University. "People scoffed at the idea that it could have anything to do with intrauterine experience." Barker persisted, however, amassing evidence of the connection between birth weight and heart disease in many thousands of individuals. For years the idea was known as the Barker hypothesis.

In time his idea began to win converts. Janet Rich-Edwards, an epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, deliberately set out to disprove the Barker hypothesis. "I was convinced that your current risk factors determine your odds of developing disease," says Rich-Edwards, "not something that happened when you were a fetus." But, she adds, "there's nothing like your own data to change your mind." Rich-Edwards analyzed findings from the Nurses' Health Study, a long-running investigation of more than 120,000 RNs. Even when she took account of the nurses' adult lifestyles and socioeconomic status, the relationship between low birth weight and cardiovascular-disease risk remained robust. "Similar studies have been conducted at least two dozen times since then," she notes. "It's one of the most solidly replicated findings in the field of public health."
As a journalist who covers science, I was intrigued when I first heard about fetal origins. But two years ago, when I began to delve more deeply into the field, I had a more personal motivation: I was newly pregnant. If it was true that my actions over the next nine months would affect my offspring for the rest of his life, I needed to know more.
Of course, no woman who is pregnant today can escape hearing the message that what she does affects her fetus. She hears it at doctor's appointments, sees it in the morning newspaper and in the pregnancy guide books: Do eat this, don't drink that, always be vigilant — but never stressed. Expectant mothers could be forgiven for feeling that pregnancy is nothing but a nine-month slog, full of guilt and devoid of pleasure, and this research threatened to add to the burden.
But as I began applying what I learned to my own pregnancy, I developed a very different perspective on fetal origins. The scientists I met weren't full of dire warnings but of the excitement of discovery — and the hope that their discoveries would make a positive difference. We're used to hearing about all the things that can go wrong during pregnancy, but as these researchers are finding out, it's frequently the intrauterine environment that makes things go right in later life.

What was special about the journalist that researched and wrote this article?

She studied under Dr. Baker.
He has never had children.
She was part of the study as a child.
She was pregnant while doing the research.

Correct answer
She was pregnant while doing the research.

What happened when Baker presented his findings to his peers?
*
0/3
His peers loved his ideas and started applying the new information right away.
His peers told him they were interested but he needed to do more research.
His peers wanted to do their own research before believing him.

His peers did not believe it could have anything to do with the intrauterine experience.
Correct answer
His peers did not believe it could have anything to do with the intrauterine experience.

How did Janet Rich-Edwards change her mind about the idea of Fetal origins?
*
0/3
She read Dr. Baker’s work.
She ran her own study to disprove Dr. Baker.
She discussed the work with Dr. Baker.
She ran a study to prove Dr. Baker correct.

Correct answer
She ran her own study to disprove Dr. Baker.

What is the Baker Hypothesis?
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3/3
the fetus diverts nutrients to its most important organ, the brain, while skimping on other parts of its body — a debt that comes due decades later in the form of a weakened heart.


When “Faced with an inadequate food supply,” what was Baker’s conjecture?
*
3/3
The fetus gives up and is stillborn or miscarried
The fetus pushes all nutrients to the heart and lungs to make sure it can survive outside of the mother once it is born, the brain will catch up later.
The fetus diverts nutrients to its most important organ, the brain, while skimping on other parts of its body — a debt that comes due decades later in the form of a weakened heart

The fetus continues to grow normally without any problems and will grow to be a healthy adult as long as it follows a healthy diet
Mutiple choice
66 of 117 points

A surgical procedure to birth a baby if there is a problem during labor?
*
3/3
premature birth
natural birth
c-section

car birth

What is unique about stem cells?
*
3/3
nothing they are like all blood cells in the body
they can only be found in the umbilical cord

they have the ability to create any blood cell needed

During what stage of labor is the baby born?
*
0/3
1st stage
2nd stage
3rd stage
after the third stage

Correct answer
2nd stage

How big is full dilation of the cervix?
*
0/3
5 cm
10 cm
20 cm

10 in.
Correct answer
10 cm

By what age will premature babies catch up to other children developmentally?
*
0/3
1 yr
2yrs
3yrs
4yrs

Correct answer
2yrs

When the baby drops into the head down position low in the pelvis?
*
0/3
lightening
dropping
first stage of labor
third stage of labor

Correct answers
lightening
dropping

At what time intervals do they check the baby using the Apgar scale?
0/3
1 min and 5 min
2min and 10 min

5 min and 20 min
1 min and 1 hour
Correct answer
1 min and 5 min

Baby Blues are normal for mothers to get after giving birth.
*
3/3
True

False

What is the hormone that allows the body to stretch enough to give birth?
*
0/3
Episiotopmy
Epideral

Elastin
Relaxin
Correct answer
Relaxin

Natural and Nomal births are the same exact thing?
*
3/3
True
False


Which term names the tightening and releasing of the muscles of the uterus?
*
3/3
Contraction

Membrane
Monitoring
Inducing

What condition may cause the baby's skin and eyes to look slightly yellow?
*
3/3
jaundice

Colostrum
Bilirubin
Lactation

All hospitals allow water births.
*
3/3
True
False


Which of the following are features of a new born?
*
3/3
lungs fill with oxygen for the first time
umbilical cord constricts
The circulatory system changes to take oxygen to heart
heart pumps hearder to get blood to lungs
All of these are features of a new born


Which term names the lower part of the uterus?
*
3/3
show
cervix

plug
labor

Which of the following is not a possible body position at birth for baby?
*
3/3
Transverse
Cephalic
Breech
Backwards


At what weight is a baby considered premature?
*
0/3
below 6 lbs 1 oz
below 5 lbs 8 oz
below 5 lbs 3 oz

below 7 lbs 8 oz
Correct answer
below 5 lbs 8 oz

Untreated postpartum depression could lead to a mother harming herself or baby.
*
3/3
True

False

Some babies have acne like bumps called milia.
*
3/3
True

False

What is the name of the most painful part of labor?
*
0/3
dilation

transition
contractions
cephalic
Correct answer
transition

The Apgar test checks the baby for how many responses?
*
0/3
3
6

9
5
Correct answer
5

Which of the following is not a stage of labor?
*
3/3
contractions
birth of the child
expelling of the placenta
baby moves down into the lower pelvis


Which is a perfect score on the Apgar scale?
*
0/3
1
5
10
12

Correct answer
10

How many time must the baby be checked using the Apgar test?
*
3/3
once
twice

three times
four times

In what kind of bed are severely premature babies kept in?
*
3/3
crib
toddler bed
twin
incubator


A premature labor is a labor that takes place any time before which week of pregnancy?
*
0/3
24 weeks
30 weeks

35 weeks
37 weeks
Correct answer
37 weeks

Which is not one of the physical needs of a new mother?
*
3/3
excercise
stress

Nutrition
Rest

Which term names the forming of emotional ties between parents and child?
*
3/3
casing
blending
bonding

meshing

How long does the neonatal period last?
*
0/3
1 day

1 month
6 months
9 months
Correct answer
1 month

Where is the mucous plug located on a pregnant woman?
*
0/3
In the uterus

in the vagina
in the cervix
in the urithra
Correct answer
in the cervix

What is expelled during the third and final stage of labor?
*
3/3
baby
fetus
cervix
placenta


On which part of a newborn baby's body is the fontanel?
*
0/3
hands

feet
head
chest
Correct answer
head

During what stage of labor can a women receive medication to help with the pain?
*
0/3
1st stage
2nd stage
3rd stage

never
Correct answer
1st stage

Premature babies that need more care and medical treatment are kept in what part of the hospital?
*
3/3
ICU
NICU

Pediatrics
Cardiatrics

Which of the following are ways to control labor pain?
*
3/3
lamaz breathing
walking
warm water bath
pain medications
all are ways to relieve pain


This allows the baby's head to change shape during birth?
*
0/3
the head bones are fused together
the head bones are soft

the head bones have not yet been fused together
the head bones are hard
Correct answer
the head bones have not yet been fused together

A women is not considered in active labor until her contractions are how far apart.
*
3/3
20 minutes
10 minutes
5 minutes

1 minute

What is the thick, white pasty substance that may cover a newborn baby?
*
0/3
Amniotic fluid
vernix
milia
lanugo

Correct answer
vernix

When Doctors decide that a baby has been in mom long enough and it is time to start labor.
*
3/3
Induce labor

C-section
premature labor