What are 5 types 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.

What are 3 examples 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 2 examples of environmental 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.

What teratogens are most harmful during pregnancy?

Polychlorinated biphenyls, also known as PCBs, are shown to cause fetal growth restriction and skin discolouration. X-rays can cause problems with fetal development, such as spina bifida, cleft palate, blindness, abnormalities of the arms and legs, or microcephaly, which is a condition where the brain is too small.

What are the 4 types of teratogens?

Additionally, teratogens may also affect pregnancies and cause complications such as preterm labors, spontaneous abortions, or miscarriages. Teratogens are classified into four types: physical agents, metabolic conditions, infection, and finally, drugs and chemicals.

What is the most common teratogen worldwide?

Exposure to alcohol in utero is the most common teratogenic cause of developmental disabilities, including microcephaly, cognitive disability, learning disabilities, ADHD and behavioural challenges. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) occurs worldwide in approximately 1.9 per 1000 live births.

What are the teratogenic drugs?

Drugs that can cause birth defects are said to be ‘teratogenic drugs’. Medical science cannot always predict how exposure to a teratogenic drug will affect a developing fetus.

What is teratogenic effects in pregnancy?

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.

What are behavioral teratogens?

Behavioral teratogens—teratogens that tend to harm the prenatal brain, affecting the future child’s intellectual and emotional functioning. à although all teratogens increase the risk of harm to the developing child, none always cause damage; the ultimate impact depends on the complex interplay of many factors.

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.

Is folic acid a teratogen?

Folate deficiency has a well-established teratogenic effect, leading to an increasing risk of neural tube defects. This paper highlights the most recent medical literature about folate deficiency, be it maternal or paternal.

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.

Is alcohol a teratogen?

Alcohol is a known toxicant, causing cell death in a fetus, and a teratogen, altering cell cycle and function in a developing fetal brain, with PAE having immediate and persisting effects on an individual with FASDs.

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.

Is radiation a teratogen?

Ionising radiation represents a possible teratogen for the fetus, but this risk has been found to be dependent on the dosage and the effects correlatable to the gestational age at exposure.

Is acetaminophen a teratogen?

Acetaminophen is widely used during pregnancy. Although there is no known association with teratogenicity, few clinical data are available to support the lack of association.

Is aspirin a teratogen?

Also, from the finding that aspirin proved to be teratogenic when the fetuses were exposed to a given period (3 days or more), the teratogenic action of aspirin is attributed to a direct action of this compound.

Is sperm good for baby during pregnancy?

Not only is sperm safe, but there may be some benefits to having sex and contact with sperm before and during pregnancy: Sperm and vaginal sex can help induce labor when the time comes. Oxytocin, one of the key hormones involved in progressing labor, is released during sex, and orgasms mimic contractions.

Which fruit should I avoid during pregnancy?

Papaya – It tops the list for obvious reasons. Raw or semi ripe papaya contains latex which can induce premature contractions and that can be dangerous for your baby.

Is cigarette smoke a teratogen?

This study demonstrates that nicotine acts as a nervous system teratogen leading to gross and cellular dysmorphology. Suggested mechanisms for nicotine action include the possibility that the highly lipid soluble teratogen may exert its effects directly on the membranes or indirectly through oxidative membrane damage.

Is tetracycline a teratogen?

Tetracyclines are considered teratogens due to teeth discoloration that may occur as well as the potential to inhibit bone growth. Tetracyclines are considered teratogens due to the strong association with teeth discoloration in the fetus and developing infant.