As mentioned in the video, prenatal environmental factors can have significant impacts on lifelong human development. Two major areas of concern are 'fetal programming' and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder [FASD].
Fetal Programming occurs when alterations of nutrition at critical stages of fetal development are seen to have ongoing negative effects on the development of offspring, for example, with regards to cardiovascular health (Godfrey & Barker, 2001). This suggests that a low rate of fetal growth due to malnutrition of the mother might lead to higher instances of heart disease for offspring. In other words, a pregnant mother with poor health and/or an unhealthy diet is likely to have children with lifelong health issues.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a term given to the variety of lifelong impacts on physiological and neurological development that can occur when a baby is exposed to alcohol in the womb. A study on FASD in Italian schoolchildren documented a number of effects of the disorder, such as suppressed physical growth, altered facial features, behavioural problems, and lower verbal and non-verbal IQ (May et al., 2006). The study also suggested that FASD might be more prevalent in western countries than what was once thought.
Follow this link for information about alcohol and pregnancy, and this link https://www.fasd-can.org.nz/understanding_fasd for more information about the effects of FASD.