| Unit name | Human Development and Pregnancy |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MEDIM0012 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Christy Burden |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Bristol Medical School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
This unit will increase your understanding of the important processes of human fetal development and growth, including factors that influence normal and abnormal development, this is critical to understand the short and long term impacts on offspring health. The unit is largely run by clinical academics and leading experts in the field. The unit will provide knowledge on identifying routine and state-of-the-art evidence-based clinical techniques employed for assessment and optimal care for maternal and fetal wellbeing, including prevention and management of conditions which cause adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and fetal growth restriction. The unit includes simulation of translational practical skills such as basic ultrasound skills and interpretation of fetal monitoring.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit develops on the basic physiology, endocrinology and embryology learned in Unit MEDIM4000 Reproductive physiology and endocrinology, focusing on pregnancy from conception to birth, including effects of pregnancy on the mother and effects of maternal conditions on the developing fetus. This unit also provides some key basic knowledge prior to subsequent units regarding fertility, as it develops understanding on implantation and genetics.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Through this unit, you will have gained a greater understanding of fundamentals of pregnancy, including effects of
pregnancy on the pregnant person, and different factors that affect fetal development and neonatal outcome. You
will have experience of clinical methods used to assess and monitor pregnancies within the NHS, including
ultrasound assessment and fetal wellbeing.
Learning Outcomes
1. Critically discuss the factors that influence normal and abnormal human fetal development and growth
2. Describe and evaluate the routine clinical techniques employed for the measurement of fetal growth and for the
identification of common malformations.
3. Describe the course of normal pregnancy and birth, and the common complications associated with these
processes.
The unit will utilise multiple different activities to aid learning, including pre-session lectures and reading, case-based
discussions, live lectures, and face-to-face practical sessions, as well as formative and summative assessments with
feedback. Students are expected to engage in selecting additional reading from a suggested reading list, to support
and further expand their learning. These activities are designed to support your understanding of core knowledge in
this field and help you to apply the theory in the context of patient management.
An overview of content
Through asynchronous and synchronous teaching methods, alongside some in-person practical sessions, you will be
introduced to reproductive health, from implantation and genetics through to pregnancy and birth, including
preterm birth and common pregnancy complications. The unit is delivered via a mixture of lectures and small group
tutorials, by clinicians and researchers who are active in this field and experts in their topic.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
We will support you to complete a formative task consisting of short answer questions regarding risk factors for fetal
growth restriction and interpretation of fetal heart rate monitoring (CTG). This will be completed individually with
feedback subsequently provided by the unit-leads (and in a group session if required). This will be used to prepare
you for the summative task.
There is also a formative face-to-face practical session in the course during the spring workshop, this will be an
opportunity to experience and interpret assessment of fetal growth and simulation in ultrasound in pregnancy (early
and later pregnancy).
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Coursework –Essay (60%) (ILO 3)
Coursework – Short-answer questions (40%) (ILO 1,2)
When assessment does not go to plan
If you do not pass the unit, you will normally be given the opportunity to take a reassessment as per the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes. Decisions on the award of reassessment will normally be taken after all taught units of the year have been completed. Reassessment will normally be in a similar format to the original assessment that has been failed.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MEDIM0012).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
