Healthy pregnancy | Science | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

True or false? Females carry a baby for around 40 weeks before it is born.
- True ✓
- False
What is the organ called where the mother and foetus exchange substances?
- 'Placenta' ✓
What does the mother's blood provide for the growing foetus?
- nutrients ✓
- blood
- carbon dioxide
- oxygen ✓
What waste product does the placenta remove from the foetus?
- carbon dioxide ✓
- nitrogen
- oxygen
- drugs
What connects the placenta to the foetus?
- 'Umbilical cord' ✓
Who is correct?
- Alex: A drug is always illegal.
- Izzy: A drug can be illegal or legal. ✓
- Andeep: Alcohol is not a drug because it is in a drink.
- Jun: Drugs are substances that affect the body. ✓

Exit quiz

Which of the following are examples of drugs?
- carbon dioxide
- nicotine ✓
- oxygen
- alcohol ✓
Drugs can pass from the mother to the foetus through the ...
- 'Placenta' ✓
Which of the following are not symptoms of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)?
- smaller head
- ear abnormalities
- larger eyes ✓
- smaller cerebellum (part of the brain)
- shorter, flatter nose
True or false? The greater the intake of drugs the worse the effects on the foetus.
- True ✓
- False
Which of the following are long-term consequences of drug taking when pregnant?
- premature birth
- miscarriage
- foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) ✓
- learning difficulties ✓
- low birth weight
Which of the following is not a short-term consequence of drug addiction?
- miscarriage
- premature birth
- babies born with a drug addiction ✓
- low birth weight

Worksheet

Loading worksheet ...

Presentation

Loading presentation ...

Video

Lesson Details

Key learning points

Some substances can pass through the placenta including some drugs, alcohol and chemicals in cigarette smoke.
This can affect the growth of the foetus.
Short term consequences can include miscarriage, premature birth and low birth weight.
Long term consequences can include addiction, sudden infant death and foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Common misconception

Thinking that the lifestyle choices of a pregnant mother, including recreational use of drugs such as alcohol and nicotine, will not affect the foetus.

The lesson explores short-term and long-term effects that lifestyle choices of a pregnant mother, including recreational use of drugs such as alcohol and nicotine, can have on the developing foetus.

Keywords

Placenta - The placenta is an organ that is attached to the uterus wall; it provides the foetus with oxygen and nutrients from the mother's blood.
Foetus - The foetus is the stage of human development between an embryo (at around 8 weeks) up to when the baby is born.
Alcohol - Alcohol is a depressant drug present in alcoholic drinks. It slows down the messages travelling between the brain and the body.
Drugs - Drugs are substances that, when taken in, have an effect on the body.