WGU D202 HUMAN GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT OA AND PA TEST
BANK EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | 2026 UPDATE | 100%
CORRECT.
What is the embryonic period? - ANS Weeks 3-8 of pregnancy, formation of placenta and
brain development
What is the fetal period? - ANS From the end of the embryonic period until the end of
pregnancy, viability at 24 weeks
What influences sexual orientation? - ANS Genetics, birth order, hormones
What are some maternal factors that can affect fetal development? - ANS Age, environmental
teratogens, diabetes, high blood pressure, Rh factor, weight gain, stress, depression
What are some risks during pregnancy? - ANS Ectopic pregnancy, preeclampsia, spontaneous
abortion
How many stages are there in labor for vaginal delivery? - ANS Three
What are the other types of delivery? - ANS Cesarean and induced
@COPYRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PAGE 1 OF 37
,What is the APGAR score? - ANS Assessment of newborn's heart rate, muscle tone, reflexes,
etc.
What is NBAS? - ANS Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale used to assess newborns.
When does the postpartum phase begin and end? - ANS Begins after birth and ends when
mother's body returns to pre-pregnancy form.
What are maternal worries in the postpartum phase? - ANS Mother's needs and changes in
taking on new responsibilities.
What is postpartum anxiety? - ANS Elevated sense of worry about the infant following
childbirth.
What is postpartum depression? - ANS Unusual sadness occurring after childbirth.
What is postpartum psychosis? - ANS Serious mental illness affecting new mothers after
childbirth.
Why should new mothers seek medical assistance for postpartum anxiety? - ANS To address
elevated worries about the infant.
What is physical growth? - ANS Increase in body size and organ size in babies.
What does physical development aid in? - ANS Maintenance of healthy weight, strong bones,
muscles, and heart.
What is motor development? - ANS Physical growth and strengthening of bones and muscles
in children.
@COPYRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PAGE 2 OF 37
,What do gross motor skills focus on? - ANS Large muscle groups controlling head, torso,
arms, and legs.
What is the cephalocaudal path of development? - ANS Development that proceeds from
head to tail.
What is the proximodistal path of development? - ANS Development that proceeds from
midline outward.
What is sensory development? - ANS Processes used to take in information from the
environment.
How can sensory processes be affected? - ANS By the infant's developing motor abilities.
Why is nutrition important for health and development? - ANS It is related to improved
infant, child, and maternal health and stronger immune systems.
What is kwashiorkor? - ANS A disease caused by protein deficiency.
When does kwashiorkor often occur? - ANS After the birth of another sibling.
What are genes? - ANS Inherited building blocks that determine development.
What is mitosis? - ANS Nucleus makes copy of chromosomes and splits into two cells.
What happens in meiosis? - ANS Chromosomes duplicate and divide twice, resulting in four
cells.
What is genotype? - ANS Sum total of inherited genes.
@COPYRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PAGE 3 OF 37
, What is phenotype? - ANS Features that are expressed.
What are dominant genes? - ANS Express themselves in phenotype.
What are recessive genes? - ANS Express themselves only when paired with similar gene.
What disorders are linked to genetics? - ANS Sickle cell disease, Tay-Sachs disease, Tourette's
syndrome, fragile X syndrome, hemophilia.
What is a chromosomal abnormality? - ANS Inheriting too many or too few chromosomes.
What are teratogens? - ANS Environmental factors that can cause disorders in infants.
What are examples of teratogens? - ANS Smoking, binge drinking, mercury exposure, rubella.
What is synaptogenesis? - ANS Rapid growth of synapses in the brain.
What is synaptic pruning? - ANS Elimination of unnecessary synapses.
What is neuroplasticity? - ANS Brain's ability to change and adapt.
Where does most neural activity occur in the infant brain? - ANS Cortex.
How many hemispheres does the brain cortex have? - ANS Two.
How many lobes are in each hemisphere of the brain? - ANS Four.
What are the folds separating the lobes called? - ANS Fissures.
@COPYRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PAGE 4 OF 37
DEVELOPMENT OA AND PA TEST
BANK EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | 2026 UPDATE | 100%
CORRECT.
What is the embryonic period? - ANS Weeks 3-8 of pregnancy, formation of placenta and
brain development
What is the fetal period? - ANS From the end of the embryonic period until the end of
pregnancy, viability at 24 weeks
What influences sexual orientation? - ANS Genetics, birth order, hormones
What are some maternal factors that can affect fetal development? - ANS Age, environmental
teratogens, diabetes, high blood pressure, Rh factor, weight gain, stress, depression
What are some risks during pregnancy? - ANS Ectopic pregnancy, preeclampsia, spontaneous
abortion
How many stages are there in labor for vaginal delivery? - ANS Three
What are the other types of delivery? - ANS Cesarean and induced
@COPYRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PAGE 1 OF 37
,What is the APGAR score? - ANS Assessment of newborn's heart rate, muscle tone, reflexes,
etc.
What is NBAS? - ANS Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale used to assess newborns.
When does the postpartum phase begin and end? - ANS Begins after birth and ends when
mother's body returns to pre-pregnancy form.
What are maternal worries in the postpartum phase? - ANS Mother's needs and changes in
taking on new responsibilities.
What is postpartum anxiety? - ANS Elevated sense of worry about the infant following
childbirth.
What is postpartum depression? - ANS Unusual sadness occurring after childbirth.
What is postpartum psychosis? - ANS Serious mental illness affecting new mothers after
childbirth.
Why should new mothers seek medical assistance for postpartum anxiety? - ANS To address
elevated worries about the infant.
What is physical growth? - ANS Increase in body size and organ size in babies.
What does physical development aid in? - ANS Maintenance of healthy weight, strong bones,
muscles, and heart.
What is motor development? - ANS Physical growth and strengthening of bones and muscles
in children.
@COPYRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PAGE 2 OF 37
,What do gross motor skills focus on? - ANS Large muscle groups controlling head, torso,
arms, and legs.
What is the cephalocaudal path of development? - ANS Development that proceeds from
head to tail.
What is the proximodistal path of development? - ANS Development that proceeds from
midline outward.
What is sensory development? - ANS Processes used to take in information from the
environment.
How can sensory processes be affected? - ANS By the infant's developing motor abilities.
Why is nutrition important for health and development? - ANS It is related to improved
infant, child, and maternal health and stronger immune systems.
What is kwashiorkor? - ANS A disease caused by protein deficiency.
When does kwashiorkor often occur? - ANS After the birth of another sibling.
What are genes? - ANS Inherited building blocks that determine development.
What is mitosis? - ANS Nucleus makes copy of chromosomes and splits into two cells.
What happens in meiosis? - ANS Chromosomes duplicate and divide twice, resulting in four
cells.
What is genotype? - ANS Sum total of inherited genes.
@COPYRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PAGE 3 OF 37
, What is phenotype? - ANS Features that are expressed.
What are dominant genes? - ANS Express themselves in phenotype.
What are recessive genes? - ANS Express themselves only when paired with similar gene.
What disorders are linked to genetics? - ANS Sickle cell disease, Tay-Sachs disease, Tourette's
syndrome, fragile X syndrome, hemophilia.
What is a chromosomal abnormality? - ANS Inheriting too many or too few chromosomes.
What are teratogens? - ANS Environmental factors that can cause disorders in infants.
What are examples of teratogens? - ANS Smoking, binge drinking, mercury exposure, rubella.
What is synaptogenesis? - ANS Rapid growth of synapses in the brain.
What is synaptic pruning? - ANS Elimination of unnecessary synapses.
What is neuroplasticity? - ANS Brain's ability to change and adapt.
Where does most neural activity occur in the infant brain? - ANS Cortex.
How many hemispheres does the brain cortex have? - ANS Two.
How many lobes are in each hemisphere of the brain? - ANS Four.
What are the folds separating the lobes called? - ANS Fissures.
@COPYRIGHT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PAGE 4 OF 37
