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Broderick, P.C., & Blewitt, P. (2015). The life span: human development for helping professionals (4 th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

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Typically after a 9 month carrying term, the baby is ready to be born. It has grown and matured enough to survive, and has prepared as much as possible for life in its outside environment. Even though its brain is fully formed, it will continue to produce neurons and synapses at a rapid rate after birth. "The growth spurt in synapses reflects the vast amount of learning that typically occur[s]..in the early months of post natal life" (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015, p. 63).

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As the mother continues towards gestation, her baby is then referred to as a fetus. The fetus continues to develop its important processing systems and organs, as well as grow significantly more in size.

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Genes carry traits- there are dominant and recessive genes that make up a baby's genotype. Genes and environment both have an affect on the baby, this combination of influence is know as the recipricol effect (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015, p. 43).

The influence of defective genes and chromosomal abnormalities can negatively impact a fetus' survival and health when born, as well as cause mutations and disorders.

Environmental influences known as teratogenics,  are environmental substances and agents that can cause harm to a fetus. The effects of the harm being done correlates to the growth and health of the part of the fetus that is currently developing at that time.
(Broderick & Blewitt, 2015).

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Cells differentiate during prenatal development and become specialized. The cells develop different structures and functions, developing different parts of the fetus' body based on their location. "Something in each cell's environment must interact with heredity material to direct the cell's developmental outcome, making specialization possible" (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015, p.43).

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The chromosomes quickly begin to duplicate themselves only hours after conception, separating and producing new cells. This process of cell division is called mitosis. After about 2 weeks of replication, the cells implant themselves to the woman's uterine lining. It now can be referred to as an embryo and continues to develop and grow.

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Inheritance of traits begins with conception, when a man's sperm fertilizes a woman's egg" (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015, p. 41).  The woman's egg, known as an ovum and the man's sperm each carry 23 chromosomes, which determine inheritance. The sperm's chromosomes become part of the nuclear material in the fertilized ovum, which is called a zygote. These chromosomes also determine the sex of the baby.