Three Trimesters to Three Years: Promoting Early Development 3 11

Introducing the Issue Introducing the Issue Anna Aizer and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn It is a pleasure to introduce this issue of The Future of Children has not been alone the Future of Children, the first to focus in neglecting this age period, even though on the first years of life starting with in it is the one in which the most rapid growth utero experiences. [...] The title of this issue, • inequities in access to and quality “Three Trimesters to Three Years,” highlights of prenatal services begin during continuity in development, the continuing pregnancy, and intersection of mother and baby, and the rapid growth that occurs from conception to • discrimination, racism, and classism three years of age. [...] 2 / FALL 2020 3 Anna Aizer and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn Plan of the Issue • health care: the universal service; We’ve organized this issue mainly along • parental leave to care for the baby: the the lines of the inputs necessary for health balance between family and work; and and development during pregnancy and in the first three years. [...] preterm birth, and maternal infection and In the United States, the prevalence of inflammation all may impact the development depressive disorders and anxiety disorders of neural circuits and neurotransmitter during the perinatal period is estimated systems, contributing to risk for poor to be between 18 and 19 percent and 12 neurobehavioral development. [...] Similarly, though biological pathways for the transmission of risk The four trimesters that make up the for psychiatric illness emphasize the perinatal and early postpartum period and importance of the womb as the infant’s the following nine months of a baby’s life influential first home, qualities of the represent a time of both great vulnerability mother’s life, experiences of optimal early- and.