“I don’t want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me.” -Frank Costello (The Departed)
Jack Nicholson once played a mafia boss named Frank Costello in one of the most famous movies of the early 2000’s. When we are introduced to Frank in the movie, he
famously states that he doesn’t want to be a product of his environment, he wants his environment to be a product of him. I know what you’re thinking, “I thought this was a blog about prenatal stages, not mob bosses and their futile wars?” The mafia is not a shining example of an ideal environment for anyone. However, remembering that environment
shapes who you are is the key detail to remember when creating one for your fetus. You can create a healthy and thriving environment for your baby. You can also throw caution to the wind and disregard all prenatal care, in which case, you might as well prepare to raise the next Tony Soprano. How does a mother ensure her family environment becomes a product of her? I’ll dive into that further as we explore the prenatal journey.
A brief overview
It is important to know the stages of prenatal development as well as how to care for yourself and the baby. Development is divided into three trimesters. In the first trimester, the spinal cord, nervous system, heart and lungs develop within the first four weeks. The brain is forming, and the fetal heartbeat is detectable by eight weeks. By 12 weeks, the sex is distinguishable, the baby can urinate and flash the world a smile.
In the second trimester, the baby shows coordinated movements, can roll over in the amniotic fluid and has downy hair (lanugo) all over the body. By twenty weeks the baby weighs about one pound and can suck his or her thumb. We can also start to see hair, eyelashes and eyebrows. At about 24 weeks the baby’s skin becomes covered in a protective coating called vernix. Waste matter is collected in the bowel, and we can start to see a strong grip.
In the third trimester, the baby is adding body fat, weighs around three pounds and we can start to detect movement. The baby will also have periods of sleep and wakefulness, respond to sounds and bones of the head are soft and flexible. By 38 weeks, the baby weighs around 7 ½ pounds, is 19 to 20 inches long, develops a thick vernix and starts gaining immunities from the mother.
It’s also important to point out that there are three periods in prenatal development that coincide with the three trimesters. These periods are called the germinal, embryonic and fetal period. They do not occur at the same time as the three trimesters. The germinal and embryonic period occur within the first trimester and the fetal period occurs near the end of the first trimester and continues on until birth.
The germinal period occurs within the first two weeks of conception and includes the fertilized egg or the zygote, cell division and the attachment. (cite text) The embryonic
period occurs from two to eight weeks of conception. During this period, we see an increasing rate of cell differentiation. The fetal period begins around two months after conception and lasts until birth. During organogenesis, a process in the first two months in which organ formation is happening, the neural tube forms which eventually becomes the spinal cord. The neural tube closes at the top and bottom typically around 27 days after conception. It is important to note that nutrition is imperative in ensuring the development and closure of the neural tube.
Lastly, the brain really is a fascinating complex organ, especially while developing in the womb. In life, every opportunity to learn is an opportunity for new neuron connections to form in the brain. For example, riding a bike, learning to cook or learning Einstein’s theory of relativity results in what is called neuron connections. This formation is called a synapse and this happens throughout our lifetime. When we learn to play piano at the age of fifty or learn to crochet at sixty, we are creating new networks in our brain. This process is called neuroplasticity and it is the process by which the brain adapts to new experiences. This remarkable process starts in the womb at around 6 to 24 weeks and neurons start seeking connections with each other around 23 weeks. The growth we see neurologically and anatomically in the womb is dependent upon the mother.
Weight gain
Contrary to popular belief, this is not a green light to spend your nights treating yourself to that pint of Cherry Garcia’s ice cream because “you’re eating for two now.” Yes, the baby needs nutrients from the mother from various sources as well as an excess of calories. However, gaining too much weight can be detrimental not only to development
but can have dire health consequences as well. Obesity can result in neural tube defects, preterm delivers and late term fetal deaths.
How much is too much? The recommended weight gain for women of average weight and stature is a gain of 25 to 35 pounds. For obese women, the recommended weight gain is 11 to 20 pounds. It’s important to point out that the pattern is also important. It is recommended that the mother of average stature gain around 2 to 4.4 pounds per week in the first trimester and one pound per week during the second and third trimesters. Pattern is important as sharp increases in weight gain can result in fluid retention and too little can result in low birth weight.
Nutrition
In some cultures, eating papaya was believed to be a cause of miscarriage. Also, don’t forget, expectant mothers should avoid eating crabs as it causes the baby to have
extra limbs. While this couldn’t be farther from the truth, it is quite entertaining. Further, it is important to avoid some seafood for other reasons and to ensure you’re increasing your daily intake of certain vitamins. For example, foods high in mercury should be avoided due to the high mercury content. Foods such as soft cheeses and unpasteurized milk should also be avoided due to the risk of listeria.
The needs for protein, iron, vitamin D, folacin, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium increase by 50 percent or more during pregnancy. (cite text) Taking
multivitamins can be a key factor in providing a healthy environment for your baby as well.
Increasing your intake of folic acid can prevent spina bifida and anencephaly. These disorders are neural tube defects in which the spinal cord fails to close during the fetal
period of pregnancy. Adequate weight gain during pregnancy can also be a factor in preventing neural tube defects.
Exercise during pregnancy can provide many benefits such as a decreased likelihood of stress or depression in the mother, increased gestational ages in the offspring, can reduce the likelihood of weight gain in the mother and conditions the body. (McGraw- Hill, 2025)
Pregnant women who did not exercise on a regular basis prior to pregnancy are advised not to start after becoming pregnant as this can result in complications. However, those who did exercise on a regular basis can continue up through the later months of pregnancy. Low impact activities are recommended as the latter months.
Teratogens
There was a time many centuries ago, long before our advances in the medical world, when congenital malformations were believed to be portents of future events. A baby born with no fingers predicted a town destined for infertility. If a mother gave birth to a baby with deformed ears, it predicted a country’s demise as the enemy rejoices. Luckily as we evolved into a more practical society, the study of teratogens emerged in the late 19th century and teratology, the study of harmful agents to a developing fetus, paved the way for new discoveries as to what causes birth defects. (DeSesso, 2019) Spoiler alert: it turns out, there’s nothing supernatural about it.
A teratogen is an agent that potentially causes harm to your baby. The time of exposure, dose and genetic susceptibility all play a role in the severity of the damage. These can include prescription and non prescription drugs, psychoactive drugs, an incompatible blood type, maternal diseases, maternal diet and nutrition, maternal and paternal age and environmental pollutants.
The time in which exposure occurs is important. For example, exposure to teratogens during the embryonic period has the greatest effect on the central nervous system, heart, ears, eyes, arms, legs, teeth and palate. External genitalia can also be severely affected well into week ten. The sensitivity lessens during the fetal period although any exposure can still affect development significantly.
Some prescription drugs include some antibiotics, antidepressants, certain
hormones like synthetic estrogen and isotretinoin. Psychoactive drugs include alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, nicotine from smoking, heroin and caffeine. While there are mixed results regarding caffeine, there are studies out there showing caffeine predicts lower birth weight. (cite study) The other aforementioned psychoactive drugs can have such catastrophic affects on development that only one word comes to mind when you’re thinking of reaching for that pipe… don’t. These drugs can result in fetal alcohol syndrome from consuming alcohol, preterm birth weight, facial abnormalities, increased
risk of asthma from maternal smoking during pregnancy, severe withdrawal in babies born from mothers addicted to heroin and an increased risk for many neurological and
developmental disorders later in life.
Some environmental hazards include radiation, chemical pollutants and toxic waste. Pollutants can include mercury, lead, fertilizers, pesticides, and carbon monoxide. These can all result in severe disabilities when exposed.
Maternal age and paternal age affect the fetus as well. Studies show a higher rate of stillbirths among girls in their adolescent stage. Women over 35 are considered advanced maternal age and are at higher risk of having a child with down syndrome. Paternal age and their exposure to pollutants can also be factored in. If both mother and father are older, the risk to the newborn increase. Further, high levels of stress in the mother during pregnancy can result in many complications as well. High levels of stress can result in an increased
risk in the child developing emotional or cognitive problems, ADHD and language delay (Talge, N.M., 2007).
Conclusion
Prenatal care is of the utmost importance when creating an ideal environment for your little one. Unfortunately, the concept is not stressed enough in our country. Other countries have healthier babies while the U.S. shows a higher mortality rate and low birth weight. Not only are the concepts mentioned I this blog vital in ensuring a healthy pregnancy, education on prenatal and postnatal care is crucial in creating a thriving
environment.
Safe and healthy environments can produce thriving children not only in their early years but throughout their lifetime. If you don’t want your child to be the next Frank Costello, make sure your environment becomes a product of you. Make sure you get enough folic acid, increase your vitamins, decrease your stress with a little yoga and decaf tea, stay away from heroin, don’t gain too much weight, seek out prenatal care, educate yourself and above all, take care of yourself. The future of the next generation depends on it.
References:
DeSesso JM. The arrogance of teratology: A brief chronology of attitudes throughout history. Birth Defects Research. 2019; 111: 123–141. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdr2.1422
Santrock, J. W., Lansford, J. E., & Deater-Deckard, K. D. (2025). Children. McGraw Hill LLC.
Talge, N.M., Neal, C., Glover, V., and the Early Stress, Translational Research and Prevention Science Network: Fetal and Neonatal Experience of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (2007). Antenatal maternal stress and long-term effects on
neurodevelopment: How and Why? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48, 245- 261.