18 IN THE BEGINNING: CONCEPTION AND BIRTH

Question 1

What is the estimated chance of successful fertilization from a single act of sex?

Answer 1

About 3 percent

Question 2

What has been reported regarding sperm counts in Western nations from 1973 to 2011?

Answer 2

Sperm counts fell by more than 50 percent

Question 3

What are some suggested causes for the decline in sperm counts?

Answer 3

• Diet
• Lifestyle
• Environmental factors
• Frequency of ejaculation
• Wearing tight underpants

Question 4

What did Nicholas Kristof attribute the decline in sperm counts to?

Answer 4

Endocrine disruptors found in various products

Question 5

What does Richard Bribiescas believe about the reported sperm count declines?

Answer 5

Many counts are dubious and overall fertility may not be compromised

Question 6

What is the average sperm count produced by a healthy male?

Answer 6

Varies from 1 million to 120 million per milliliter, with an average of about 25 million

Question 7

At what stage of life are women born with their lifetime’s supply of eggs?

Answer 7

Inside the womb

Question 8

How many eggs does a twenty-week-old fetus typically have?

Answer 8

6 million eggs

Question 9

What happens to the number of eggs a woman has from birth to childbearing years?

Answer 9

Falls from 1 million at birth to about 180,000 at childbearing years

Question 10

What is the average age of women at first birth in the United States?

Answer 10

26.4 years

Question 11

What percentage of a woman’s eggs is typically exhausted by age 35?

Answer 11

95 percent

Question 12

What is the term for the moment when cells begin differentiating during embryonic development?

Answer 12

Gastrulation

Question 13

What are the two types of twins mentioned in the text?

Answer 13

• Identical (monozygotic) twins
• Fraternal (dizygotic) twins

Question 14

What is the likelihood of having identical twins compared to fraternal twins?

Answer 14

1 in 250 for identical twins; 1 in 100 for fraternal twins

Question 15

What happens to the developing embryo after three weeks?

Answer 15

It has a beating heart

Question 16

What is the medical term for severe morning sickness during pregnancy?

Answer 16

Hyperemesis gravidarum

Question 17

What was a common treatment for morning sickness in the past?

Answer 17

Thalidomide

Question 18

Who identified the importance of handwashing to prevent puerperal fever?

Answer 18

Ignaz Semmelweis

Question 19

What was the common saying regarding maternity and death?

Answer 19

Maternity is another word for eternity

Question 20

What was the mortality rate for women infected with puerperal fever during outbreaks?

Answer 20

Up to 90 percent

Question 21

Who was Semmelweis and what did he advocate for?

Answer 21

Semmelweis was a physician who advocated for hygiene practices in hospitals to reduce maternal deaths during childbirth.

Semmelweis’s commitment to hygiene was largely ignored during his time, leading to his tragic fate.

Question 22

What did Joseph Lister introduce to operating theaters?

Answer 22

Joseph Lister introduced the use of carbolic acid as an antiseptic in operating theaters.

Lister’s practices included sterilizing the air around patients with a mist of carbolic acid.

Question 23

What was the maternal death rate in the United States compared to other developed nations?

Answer 23

The maternal death rate in the United States is 16.7 per 100,000, which is higher than most developed nations.

For comparison, Italy has a rate of 3.9 per 100,000.

Question 24

What is preeclampsia?

Answer 24

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy condition characterized by high blood pressure, which can pose dangers to both mother and baby.

It occurs in about 3.4 percent of pregnant women and can progress to eclampsia.

Question 25

What role does the placenta play in pregnancy?

Answer 25

The placenta filters wastes, provides oxygen, distributes hormones, and protects the fetus from toxins and pathogens. ## Footnote It is often referred to as 'the least understood organ in the human body.'

Question 26

True or False: The placenta can prevent all pathogens from crossing to the fetus.

Answer 26

False. ## Footnote The placenta can block some pathogens but not others, such as the Zika virus.

Question 27

What was the impact of the Maternal Quality Care Collaborative in California?

Answer 27

It reduced the rate of childbirth deaths from 17 per 100,000 to 7.3 between 2006 and 2013. ## Footnote This initiative targeted leading causes of maternal death.

Question 28

What are oligosaccharides in breast milk used for?

Answer 28

Oligosaccharides are complex sugars produced in breast milk that nourish the baby's gut microbes. ## Footnote These sugars cannot be digested by the baby but serve to benefit its microbiome.

Question 29

Fill in the blank: The first thousand days of life are critical for _______.

Answer 29

[health and development]. ## Footnote This concept includes the period from conception to the child's second birthday.

Question 30

What is the Barker hypothesis?

Answer 30

The Barker hypothesis posits that conditions in the womb can influence health and disease risk throughout life. ## Footnote It emphasizes critical periods of organ development.

Question 31

What percentage of American women breast-fed their babies in 1962?

Answer 31

20 percent. ## Footnote This rate increased significantly over the following decades.

Question 32

What are the potential risks for babies born by Cesarean section?

Answer 32

Increased risks for type 1 diabetes, asthma, celiac disease, obesity, and allergies. ## Footnote C-section babies miss out on beneficial microbes acquired during vaginal birth.

Question 33

What is a significant issue regarding antibiotics given during delivery?

Answer 33

They may harm the baby's microbiome as they acquire protective microorganisms. ## Footnote Approximately four out of ten women receive antibiotics during delivery.

Question 34

True or False: Infant formula can fully replicate the immunological benefits of mother's milk.

Answer 34

False. ## Footnote No formula can completely replicate the complex benefits of breastfeeding.

Question 35

What is the average cost of childbirth in the United States?

Answer 35

About $30,000 for a conventional birth and $50,000 for a Cesarean. ## Footnote This is significantly higher compared to other countries like the Netherlands.

Question 36

What is one reason women in the U.S. have higher maternal death rates?

Answer 36

Higher rates of maternal obesity and increased use of fertility treatments. ## Footnote These factors contribute to more complications during childbirth.

Question 37

What are the common pain relief options for women in labor?

Answer 37

Gas and air, pethidine injection, or epidural anaesthetic. ## Footnote These options have not significantly changed over generations.

Question 38

What happens to a fetus's lungs at the moment of birth?

Answer 38

The amniotic fluid drains away, and the lungs inflate for the first time. ## Footnote This transition marks the beginning of independent life for the newborn.

Question 39

What is cephalopelvic disproportion?

Answer 39

A condition where the baby's head is too large to pass smoothly through the birth canal. ## Footnote This is a significant challenge during human childbirth.

Question 40

What is the critical period for organ development?

Answer 40

A brief period when each organ undergoes development, occurring at different times for different organs.

Question 41

What is the significance of the first thousand days in human development?

Answer 41

It is the period from conception to the second birthday, crucial for long-term health and well-being.

Question 42

What was the impact of the 1944 famine in the Netherlands on children conceived during that time?

Answer 42

They had normal birth weights but later developed higher rates of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Question 43

What are the health risks associated with children born into modern households?

Answer 43

Increased vulnerability to diseases due to poor lifestyle choices, such as unhealthy eating and lack of exercise.

Question 44

True or False: Children today are expected to live healthier lives than their parents.

Answer 44

False

Question 45

Fill in the blank: The term 'sperm' comes from a Greek word meaning _______.

Answer 45

[to sow]

Question 46

What are the two terms used by doctors to classify types of twins?

Answer 46

* Binovular (fraternal twins) * Uniovular (identical twins)

Question 47

What organs remain plastic after birth?

Answer 47

* Liver * Brain * Immune system

Question 48

What does the legacy of newborn babies today typically involve?

Answer 48

Being born into environments with poor nutrition and exercise habits.

Question 49

What alarming prediction has been made about the health of children growing up today?

Answer 49

They may be the first in modern history to live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents.