How Can the Environment Affect an Unborn Child?

Advances in science have greatly increased the chances of bringing a child to term, but science doesn’t always protect an unborn child from environmental factors. Although you’re not likely to come into contact with dangerous environmental factors, at least not in large quantities, there are still a number of factors that mothers should know about. Studying these factors can help you take steps to stay away from the bad stuff and give your child the nutrients he or she needs to grow and come to term.

Potentially Dangerous Chemicals

A lot of some ecological synthetic compounds can represent a danger to an unborn kid, despite the fact that these synthetic compounds may not represent a risk to the mother. Two of these threats include lead and mercury. Though a high level of lead may only make the mother sick, it can cause a miscarriage, early birth or other birth complications.

Mercury may also harm the unborn child, either through eating or inhalation. For this reason doctors recommend that pregnant women eat no more than 6 oz. of albacore tuna a week. Other factors, such as pollution and household cleaners, may also harm the baby if they enter the mother’s body in large amounts.

Nutrients

Other environmental factors may affect the unborn child if the mother’s body doesn’t have enough of it. For example, mothers should eat foods high in folate and folic acid. These nutrients help prevent birth defects. Calcium and vitamin D are two other types of nutrients unborn children need to develop well. Mothers can get these nutrients through eating cereals, beans, milk, oranges, juice, eggs and other products.

Always Dangerous Chemicals

Some environmental chemicals should not enter the mother’s body, and therefore the unborn child’s, at all. Unlike lead and mercury, which shouldn’t harm the baby in small, natural doses found in everyday products, these chemicals could cause serious harm to the unborn child if ingested in any quantity. These chemicals include alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and any illegal products. These products are most dangerous during the first six weeks of the unborn child’s development.

Extreme Movement

Movements caused by the mother or other outside environmental factors can cause problems for the unborn child. These are sometimes less obvious than a car collision or fall down the stairs. Extraordinary exercise (or different developments) could likewise cause issues. A mother who was active before the pregnancy should be able to continue exercising, although she should exercise at a less intense level. Women who experience bleeding or spotting, have miscarried before, have a low placenta, have a history of early labor, have a weak cervix or have been directed by their doctor should not exercise at all.