Question 1

An embryo rests in a sac called the placenta, which is filled with amniotic fluid that cushions the embryo and maintains a constant temperature.

Accepted Answer

The embryo actually rests in the amniotic sac, which is filled with amniotic fluid. The placenta is an organ that attaches to the lining of the womb and provides oxygen and nutrients to the growing baby.

Question 2

One of the difficulties associated with the use of anesthesia during childbirth is that anesthetized mothers cannot use their abdominal muscles to push the baby through the birth canal.

Accepted Answer

When a mother is anesthetized, the medications used can often relax the muscles in her body, including her abdominal muscles. This can make it more difficult for her to push the baby through the birth canal and may require the use of forceps, a vacuum, or a C-section delivery.

Question 3

When the alleles in a pair of chromosomes are the same, they are referred to as heterozygous.

Accepted Answer

When the alleles in a pair of chromosomes are the same, they are referred to as homozygous. Heterozygous refers to when the alleles in a pair of chromosomes are different.

Question 4

When a woman experiences higher levels of stress during pregnancy, are child may be prone to greater difficulties paying attention as infants and higher levels of behavioral problems in preschool.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that higher levels of maternal stress during pregnancy are associated with attention problems in infants and behavioral problems in preschool-aged children.

Question 5

The research is now clear, and states that a pregnant woman may safely consume up to three glasses of red wine a week. Alternately, she may have the equivalent of four ounces of "hard liquor" or two standard sized cans or bottles of beer. These small amounts of alcohol have been found to be safe for the unborn child.

Accepted Answer

There is no established safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and it is generally advised to avoid alcohol to prevent potential risks to the unborn child.

Question 6

Only a single sperm cell can successfully make the journey up a woman's Fallopian tube to an unfertilized egg.

Accepted Answer

It typically takes millions of sperm cells to successfully make the journey up the Fallopian tube to an unfertilized egg. Only one sperm cell will successfully fertilize the egg.

Question 7

The least invasive form of prenatal screening discussed in your textbook is the use of an ultrasound.

Accepted Answer

Ultrasound is a non-invasive prenatal screening method that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the fetus and the uterus. It does not involve any invasive procedures like inserting needles or collecting samples of amniotic fluid or placental tissue.

Question 8

The age of viability for a fetus normally occurs between 22 and 28 weeks after conception.

Accepted Answer

The age of viability for a fetus usually occurs at around 24 weeks after conception, but in some cases, it can occur earlier, around 22 weeks. However, full-term pregnancy is considered to be at 40 weeks after conception.

Question 9

If a dominant gene meets up with a recessive gene, the traits that are contained in the dominant gene will ultimately be expressed.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true according to the laws of Mendelian genetics. If a dominant gene is present, it will be expressed over a recessive gene. However, if both parents carry the recessive gene, there is a chance that the offspring will express the recessive trait.

Question 10

The reason why environmental teratogens pose a special kind of risk for unborn children is that pregnant mothers may be unaware of their presence in her surroundings, which makes it more difficult to protect herself from them.

Accepted Answer

Environmental teratogens are substances or conditions in the environment that can cause birth defects or developmental abnormalities in a developing fetus. Pregnant women may not be aware of their presence in her surroundings, which makes it more difficult for her to protect herself and her unborn child from their effects. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 11

When a child is conceived, the parents pass along 46 genes, two of which decide whether the baby will be a boy or a girl.

Accepted Answer

When a child is conceived, the parents each pass along 23 chromosomes, for a total of 46 chromosomes. Among these, one pair (the sex chromosomes) determines the baby's sex: females have XX and males have XY.

Question 12

Once a zygote implants itself in the lining of the uterus, it becomes a fetus.

Accepted Answer

Once the zygote implants itself in the lining of the uterus, it becomes an embryo, not a fetus. The embryo will continue to develop into a fetus over the next several weeks.

Question 13

Although in-vitro fertilization is successful approximately 75% of the time, it is very expensive and is rarely covered by health insurance.

Accepted Answer

In-vitro fertilization (IVF) has a success rate that varies significantly, often much lower than 75%, depending on various factors including the age of the woman. Additionally, coverage for IVF by health insurance varies by location and policy, with some insurance plans offering partial or full coverage for IVF treatments.

Question 14

Sickle-cell disease is a direct result of teratogenic influences, including maternal malnutrition or tobacco use.

Accepted Answer

Sickle-cell disease is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation in the HBB gene that is inherited from both parents. It is not influenced by teratogenic factors like maternal malnutrition or tobacco use.

Question 15

Somewhere around 10% to 15% of new mother experience the "baby blues," which is a very serious psychological condition that can lead to problems for the child.

Accepted Answer

The "baby blues" is a common and mild condition experienced by many new mothers, characterized by mood swings, anxiety, and sadness, but it is not considered a serious psychological condition. Postpartum depression, which is more severe, affects about 10% to 15% of new mothers.

Question 16

A child who weighs less than 1,000 grams at birth would be described as being a "low birth weight" baby.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A child who weighs less than 1,000...

Question 17

The major risks of a mother contracting the chicken pox during pregnancy include encephalitis, an enlarged spleen, and blood clotting problems in the baby.

Accepted Answer

The major risks of a mother contracting chicken pox during pregnancy include congenital varicella syndrome, neonatal varicella, and less commonly, pneumonia in the mother, rather than encephalitis, an enlarged spleen, and blood clotting problems in the baby.

Question 18

Genetically, identical twins and fraternal twins share the same amount of genes. The enhanced similarities seen in identical twins are a result of environmental factors.

Accepted Answer

Identical twins are monozygotic, meaning they come from a single fertilized egg that splits, sharing nearly 100% of their genes. Fraternal twins are dizygotic, coming from two different eggs fertilized by two different sperm, sharing about 50% of their genes, similar to regular siblings. The enhanced similarities in identical twins are largely due to their genetic identity, not environmental factors.

Question 19

During pregnancy, it is necessary for the mother to eat 10% to 20% more than regular in order to adequately provide for the needs of her unborn child.

Accepted Answer

During pregnancy, the mother's body requires more energy and nutrients to support the growth and development of the fetus. It is recommended that pregnant women consume an additional 300-500 calories per day, which is roughly a 10% to 20% increase in their regular calorie intake.

Question 20

The many changes that transform a fertilized egg into a newborn human constitute the neonatal period.

Accepted Answer

The many changes that transform a fertilized egg into a newborn human constitute the prenatal period, not the neonatal period. The neonatal period refers to the first four weeks after birth.

Quiz 2: Biological Foundations: Heredity, Prenatal Development, and Birth