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 teratogens give examples?
This page describes harmful substances, called teratogens, which a woman should avoid during pregnancy. These include
certain chemicals, medications, social drugs, alcohol, smoking, and infections
.
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 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?
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.
Is caffeine a teratogen?
In humans,
caffeine does not present any teratogenic risk
. The increased risk of the most common congenital malformations entailed by moderate consumption of caffeine is very slight.
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, …
Is smoking a teratogen?
A teratogen is any agent that disrupts a baby’s development when a person is exposed to it during pregnancy. Known teratogens include alcohol, smoking, toxic chemicals, radiation, viruses, some maternal health conditions, and certain prescription drugs.
Is stress a teratogen?
Maternal psychological stress has essentially been conceptualized as
a teratogen
, that is, an agent that can generate deleterious perinatal and/or developmental outcomes.
What birth defects can teratogens cause?
During this time, teratogens can cause
neural tube defects such as spina bifida
. Some organs are sensitive to teratogens during the whole pregnancy. This includes the baby’s brain and spinal cord. Alcohol affects the brain and spinal cord, so it can cause harm at any time during pregnancy.
How many teratogens are there?
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. Approximately 4 to 5 percent of birth defects are caused by exposure to a teratogen.
What medications are teratogens?
- phenytoin (Dilatin),
- valproic acid (Depakene, Valprotate),
- trimethadione (Tridione),
- paramethadione (Paradione), and.
- carbamazepine (Tegretol).
How can teratogens be avoided during pregnancy?
Do not use chemicals that may harm your child
– This includes pesticides, fungicides, rodenticides, or harsh cleaning products. Do not smoke, use drugs or consume alcohol during pregnancy – These teratogens greatly increase the risk of fetal birth defects and other life threatening conditions.
Is alcohol considered a teratogen?
Both alcohol and its primary metabolite, acetaldehyde,
are teratogenic
. Exposure during pregnancy may lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and this is said to occur in a substantial proportion of infants born to mothers who are chronic, heavy daily drinkers.
When do teratogens have their greatest effects?
The embryonic period, during which organogenesis takes place, occurs
between implantation at around 14 days to around 60 days postconception
. This is usually the most sensitive period to teratogenesis when exposure to a teratogenic agent has the greatest likelihood of producing a malformation.
