Human growth and development
Multiple disciplines are interested in the study of human growth and development. Examples of these disciplines are Biochemistry, anthropology, and sociology. Biochemistry is mostly concerned with the passing of genes from the parents to the embryo. A genetic study from a biochemical perspective links the resemblance of a baby to his/her parents(Loh, Antoniou, Baghurst & Metz, 2014). Biochemistry, therefore, tends to explain two single cells can develop into multicellular human beings with differentiated organs and DNA that resembles that of the parents. Biochemistry also explores the relationship between organ development and the production of energy in the form of ATP that is used by the fetus.
Anthropology, on the other hand, explores the relationship between culture and pregnancy. It explains how different cultural practices affect fetus development during pregnancy. Additionally, the discipline also tends to explain what different cultures believe about child development during different pregnancy stages (Reed, 2014). In the second trimester, when the child moves inside the mother`s womb, for example, anthropology will explain how the movements (commonly known as baby kicks) are translated in different cultures.
Finally, socially is concerned with gender development during fetus development as well as the social factors that affect the safety of pregnancy. Different sociological theories on gender tend to differentiate biological gender with self-chosen sex. For this reason, some portions of sociologists are likely to argue that a fetus is born gender-neutral despite having a male or female reproductive system. Sociology also tends to explore fetus development as a complex process affected by multiple sociological factors. Issues such as stress, for example, could lead to a miscarriage and hence termination of pregnancy (Reed, 2014).
Reference
Loh, T., Antoniou, G., Baghurst, P., & Metz, M. (2014). Development of pediatric biochemistry centile charts as a complement to laboratory reference intervals. Pathology, 46(4), 336-343. doi: 10.1097/pat.0000000000000118
Reed, K. (2012) Gender and Genetics: Sociology of the Prenatal. London: Routledge. ISBN: 978-1-138-82289-4.