What are 3 examples of teratogens?
Common teratogens include some medications, recreational drugs, tobacco products, chemicals, alcohol, certain infections, and in some cases, uncontrolled health problems in the birthing parent. Alcohol is a well-known teratogen that can cause harmful effects on the fetus after exposure at any time during pregnancy.
What are 5 types of teratogens?
Teratogenic agents include infectious agents (rubella, cytomegalovirus, varicella, herpes simplex, toxoplasma, syphilis, etc.); physical agents (ionizing agents, hyperthermia); maternal health factors (diabetes, maternal PKU); environmental chemicals (organic mercury compounds, polychlorinated biphenyl or PCB.
What are 4 teratogens?
Teratogens are classified into four types: physical agents, metabolic conditions, infection, and finally, drugs and chemicals. The word teratogen originates from the Greek word for monster, teratos.
What is the most common teratogen in pregnancy?
Alcohol: One of the most commonly used teratogens is alcohol, and because half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, it is recommended that women of child-bearing age take great caution against drinking alcohol when not using birth control or when pregnant (CDC, 2005).
What are 2 common teratogens?
Alcohol and smoking are two common teratogens. Exposure to either of them can lead to developmental anomalies, miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm labor, and a variety of other pregnancy complications.
When are teratogens most harmful?
Time of exposure: Teratogens are most harmful early in pregnancy, starting about 10 to 14 days after conception to about 8 weeks into pregnancy. Genetics: Sometimes, the pregnant person’s or the baby’s unique genetics protect them or make them more vulnerable to certain teratogens.
Is a virus a teratogen?
Many viruses can be transmitted to the fetus and cause infection and tissure damage. Five viruses are known to be teratogenic in humans: cytomegalovirus, rubella, herpes simplex, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, and varicella viruses.
What foods contain teratogens?
Potential Teratogenic Foods
- Unpasteurized Animal Products: Pasteurization is a method used to kill bacteria in many dairy products.
- Meat-Eating Fish: While contents in fish (like omega-3 fatty acids) benefit the developing child, they can also be a source contaminants like mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
What medications are teratogens?
Drugs that are capable of acting as teratogens include:
- ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors such as:
- Acne medication isotretinoin (Accutane, Retin-A).
- Alcohol ingested chronically or in binges.
- Androgens (male hormones).
- Antibiotics tetracycline (Achromycin), and doxycycline (Vibramycin), and streptomycin.
Is Zika a teratogen?
Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have declared that Zika virus is a teratogen that causes microcephaly and other serious brain anomalies.
What is a infectious teratogen?
Teratogens are drugs, chemicals, or even infections that can cause abnormal fetal development. There are billions of potential teratogens, but only a few agents are proven to have teratogenic effects. These effects can result in a baby being born with a birth defect.
Is radiation a teratogen?
Ionizing radiation includes particles and electromagnetic radiation (e.g., gamma rays, x-rays). In utero exposure to ionizing radiation can be teratogenic, carcinogenic, or mutagenic. The effects are directly related to the level of exposure and stage of fetal development.
What is the ACGIH threshold limit for benzene?
ACGIH: The threshold limit value (TLV) is 0.5 ppm averaged over an 8-hour workshift and 2.5 ppm as a STEL (short-term exposure limit). Benzene is a CARCINOGEN in humans. There may be no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen, so all contact should be reduced to the lowest possible level.
What are the long term effects of benzene exposure?
Human exposure to benzene has been associated with a range of acute and long-term adverse health effects and diseases, including cancer and aplastic anaemia.
What kind of leukaemia can benzene cause?
Benzene causes acute myeloid leukaemia (acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia), and there is limited evidence that benzene may also cause acute and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
What are the major sources of benzene exposure?
Exposure can occur occupationally and domestically as a result of the ubiquitous use of benzene-containing petroleum products, including motor fuels and solvents. Active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke is also a significant source of exposure.