LIFESTYLE CHOICES DURING PREGNANCY AND THEIR PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS IN THE NEWBORN

Abstract

Statement of Purpose: The intent of this literature review is to help shed some light on how a pregnant woman’s lifestyle choices influence birth outcomes. The lack of outreach, education, and resources to the community result in many birth outcomes that may be avoidable if the right care and attention is provided. By demonstrating through art the results of some of these findings, the hope is that people in the community provide more resources. This project resulted in the production of two art pieces. The first piece of artwork was intended to be done using acrylic medium with color on a 16” x 20” canvas detailing some of the most common adverse birth outcomes that result from the consumption of alcohol in utero. The piece depicts a newborn baby with microcephaly and a cleft palate. Due to lack of access to materials following the COVID-19 closure, the artwork was carried out using a #2HB graphite pencil instead and produced as a sketch, while still depicting the adverse outcomes. The second piece of artwork was intended to be a relief panting depicting low birth weight using acrylic medium with color on a 16” x 20” canvas, as well as a medium matte for the relief. The bones of the baby would be physically protruding through the skin off of the canvas surface due to the relief work. It would be a 3D piece of artwork as well since the bones would be something that a viewer would be able to touch and feel. The low birth weight is a common adverse outcome that is present in almost all lifestyle choices analyzed. This piece of artwork was also ultimately carried out using a #2HB graphite pencil instead and produced as a sketch. The companion. artwork was intended to convey the findings present in this thesis. Many times, information is lost and misunderstood because of jargon, but a picture can convey a lot of information at once. This artwork, included at the end of the thesis as figures 1 and 2, was meant to inform the community about the risks present when partaking in certain lifestyle choices during pregnancy.