You are a nurse at an outpatient clinic. You overhear your teenage patient talking to her friend on the phone saying that prenatal care is a waste of time for a mother who is young and healthy.
Questions
What can you tell your patient about prenatal care in teenage mothers and about infant mortality in the United States? Your answer should include something about:
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Spina bifida (folic acid)
Which prenatal development stage do you think is the most sensitive time for gestation? What happens during that stage, and why is it important?
What other behaviors of the mother may affect the health of a child before, or very early in, pregnancy? Include some of the following in your answer: exercise, diet, drug use, and smoking.
