What is teratogenic exposure?
Perinatal Teratogen/Exposure Clinic “Teratogens” are exposures during pregnancy or breastfeeding that may harm your developing baby and may cause a higher risk of miscarriage or stillbirth, birth defects, pregnancy complications, and/or developmental problems over the background risk.
What does teratogenic mean in medical terms?
Teratogenic: Able to disturb the growth and development of an embryo or fetus.
What are the 4 types of 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 does methylmercury do to a fetus?
Methylmercury (MeHg) is an organic form of mercury that can damage the developing brains of human fetuses. Women who consume methylmercury during pregnancy can bear children who have neurological issues because methylmercury has toxic effects on the nervous system during embryonic development.
What are the causes and effects of teratogenic drugs?
Teratogenic drugs and birth defects
- ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors.
- angiotensin II antagonist.
- isotretinoin (an acne drug)
- alcohol.
- cocaine.
- high doses of vitamin A.
- lithium.
- male hormones.
Are antibiotics teratogenic?
Some antibiotics are known to be teratogenic and should be avoided entirely during pregnancy. These include streptomycin and kanamycin (which may cause hearing loss) and tetracycline (which can lead to weakening, hypoplasia, and discoloration of long bones and teeth).
When is alcohol most teratogenic?
Alcohol, at any time during the pregnancy, has the potential to cause birth defects and health problems in the baby, since the central nervous system is sensitive to teratogens the entire nine months of gestation. This is why alcohol consumption should be avoided in its entirety during pregnancy.
Which condition would be considered teratogenic?
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 examples of teratogens?
Teratogens are substances that may produce physical or functional defects in the human embryo or fetus after the pregnant woman is exposed to the substance. Alcohol and cocaine are examples of such substances.
How do teratogens affect prenatal development?
Teratogens are substances that don’t impact prenatal development positively, causing birth defects and other problems. The impact of teratogens depends on its intensity and time during prenatal development when it is present. Teratogens have the highest consequences during the period of the embryo.
What are teratogens psychology?
Psychologydictionary.org Psychology Definition of TERATOGENIC: eliciting developmental irregularities within a fetus. A teratogen is an agent or procedure which elicits such irregular or odd growth; a procedure referre.