Teratogens Teratology is the study of abnormalities of physiological development. It is often thought of as the study of human congenital abnormalities, but it is broader than that, taking into account other non-birth developmental stages, including puberty; and other non-human life forms, including plants. may affect the embryo or fetus in a number of ways, causing physical malformations, problems in the behavioral or emotional development of the child, and decreased intellectual quotient (IQ) in the child.Teratology
1 Hazards to Prenatal Development: 2 •Teratogens are any agents from the environment that. 3 can cause harm to the developing fetus. 4 •Many harmful agents cause damage only if exposure. 5 occurs during a sensitive period of prenatal. 6 ... (more items)
About 4-5% of birth defects are caused by exposure to a teratogen during pregnancy Teratogens can impact a baby’s development as little as 10-14 days after conception
•Critical factors that influence the degree of harm a teratogen will cause: •The impact of a teratogen depends on the genotype of the organism. (e.g. thalidomide, alcohol) •The impact of teratogens changes of the course of prenatal development.
•Teratogens are any agents from the environment that. can cause harm to the developing fetus. •Many harmful agents cause damage only if exposure. occurs during a sensitive period of prenatal. development.
A teratogen is a substance that can cause abnormalities or birth defects in a developing fetus. Common teratogens include some medications, recreational drugs, tobacco products, chemicals, alcohol, certain infections, and in some cases, uncontrolled health problems in the birthing parent.
Terms in this set (10) In what ways do teratogens influence prenatal development? Teratogens may cause miscarriages and birth defects. One of the biggest problems related to multiple births is: Premature deliveries.
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.
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.
Teratogens are external agents such as virus, drugs, chemicals, and radiation that can harm a developing embryo or fetus. -Not all embryos are equally affect by teratogens; susceptibility to harm is influences by the embryo's or fetus' and the pregnant woman's genetic makeup and quality of the prenatal environment.
- The effects of a teratogenic agent are worst during the critical period when an organ system grows most rapidly. - Organogenesis takes place during the embryonic period (weeks 3-8 of prenatal development).
A teratogen is any agent that causes an abnormality following fetal exposure during pregnancy. Teratogens are usually discovered after an increased prevalence of a particular birth defect. For example, in the early 1960's, a drug known as thalidomide was used to treat morning sickness.
Prenatal toxins Exposure to alcohol in utero is the most common teratogenic cause of developmental disabilities, including microcephaly, cognitive disability, learning disabilities, ADHD and behavioural challenges.
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.
It is important to avoid teratogens throughout your pregnancy, but the highest risk to a fetus is in the first trimester.
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.
The fetus is most vulnerable during the first 12 weeks. During this period of time, all of the major organs and body systems are forming and can be damaged if the fetus is exposed to drugs, infectious agents, radiation, certain medications, tobacco and toxic substances.
A teratogen, a Greek word, meaning monster is anything that creates a birth defect. (Santrock 2005). Teratology is the study of such teratogens. Teratogens can include environmental toxins, alcohol, drugs, incompatible blood types, diseases, inadequate nutrition, stress and advanced paternal and maternal age. (Santrock 2004). Exposure to potentially hazardous agents throughout pregnancy is common. Many exposures are unavoidable, as pregnancy is often unplanned or unnoticeable for a period after conception. (Queenan et al 2010). Abnormalities in prenatal development can be an outcome from exposure to teratogens. Each organ structure is at its most vulnerable to harm when it is developing at its quickest, during the first eight weeks of pregnancy, carrying the greatest risk of exposure to teratogens during this critical period. If a teratogen interferes during a critical period, a certain body structure will not form correctly. (Boyd and Bee 2012).
These teratogens are highlighted because of the effects of the recession on Irish society today.
Under normal conditions, the prenatal environment supplies the foetus with ample nutrients, this is the foetus’s single source of nutrition. An insufficient diet alone can be a factor in abnormal occurrences in the developing foetus. (Carlson et al 2004).
The most important factor in development of the foetus is the mother’s diet. (Carlson et al 2004). Maternal malnutrition during gestation can cause foetal growth limitations. Changes in foetal nutrition can result in developmental variations that can permanently alter the physiology and structure of the unborn child, predisposing people to endocrine, pulmonary and cardiovascular illnesses in adult life. (Lee 2011). Under normal conditions, the prenatal environment supplies the foetus with ample nutrients, this is the foetus’s single source of nutrition. An insufficient diet alone can be a factor in abnormal occurrences in the developing foetus. (Carlson et al 2004). The growing foetus relies completely on its mother for the nutrients it requires. The nutrients are released from the mother’s blood. (Santrock 2004). The reproductive system and its hormonal control structures are mainly formed in foetal life. There is an arising concern if this prenatal compromise translates into any major functional deficit in reproductive functioning in adulthood. Epigenetic and possible intergenerational effects signify an exciting section of interdisciplinary research for the development of novel nutritional methods during pre and postnatal stages ensuring reproductive well-being in adult life. Maternal malnutrition can have substantial results on the developing foetal lung, this goes through rapid cellular differentiation and multiplication just before birth. (Lee 2011).
A malnourished woman during pregnancy has a larger chance of delivering a low birth weight infant who could have intellectual problems in childhood and can be an important risk factor for mental illness as an adult. (Bee and Boyd 2012). Children who are born to malnourished mothers are more prone to having malformed offspring. (Santrock 2004). The largest impact of malnutrition appears to be on the developing nervous system. Some studies have shown severe prenatal malnutrition can even cause death in the foetus or new-born. (Bee and Boyd 2012). Folic acid (a B-complex vitamin) is very important for normal prenatal development, insufficient folic acid can be associated with neural tube defects in the unborn child, such as spina bifida. It is advisable to consume a minimum of 400 micrograms per day. It is also advisable to take a multi vitamin prior to pregnancy. (Santrock 2004). It is important for the pregnant woman to take adequate calories and protein to prevent malnutrition. (Bee and Boyd 2012).
Foetal growth is affected by the amount and the quality of maternal nutrition and the ability of the mother to aptly absorb and dispense maternal cardiorespiratory function , digested micronutrients, uterine blood flow, placental blood flow, placental transfer and suitable delivery and treatment of oxygen and nutrients by the foetus. (Queenan et al 2011).
The first twelve weeks of foetal life is a time of remarkable cellular configuration and development that is not fully understood, even to this day. By the completion of this time, the main anomalies that can affect the foetus are already in place and the sooner they occur, the more extreme the damage.
A very large and essential part of prenatal care is the avoidance of teratogens. As we proceed I will mention the affects teratogens have on prenatal development, why the alcohol consumption should be reduced completely, and I will define what a teratogen actually is. Teratogen is a word used to describe behaviors, environments, ...
One of which, is what you are concerned with. It is known that in developed countries, like our own, the teratogen that is... The process is divided into three time periods. Those three periods consist of the germinal period, the embryonic period, and the fetal period.
The fetus transitions through three distinct periods of prenatal development, germinal, embryonic, and fetal arriving at the end of the third trimester with organized systems that allows for regulated functioning. During the course of prenatal periods the introduction of teratogens has the potential to disrupt the natural course of progress, ...
Towards the end of the the embryonic period, the teeth and external genitalia are formed. All of these have the greatest sensitivity to teratogens, especially alcohol. Also, any sort of teratogen can do damage during the fetal period as well, which is the period in which the organs are finishing their...
Stress impacts the development and growth of the fetus during the prenatal process and after the birth of the child that might persist into adulthood and cause more complications. Stress is an individual’s physical and mental reaction to the environment demands or pressures.
Teratogen is a word used to describe behaviors, environments, and bodily conditions that can harm the development process of an organism. The process of prenatal development requires a healthy and strict lifestyle. To think that one would have the desire to live any lifestyle other than a healthy one during the development process is crazy.
Prenatal care is essential in the holistic development of the child because it will determine the child’s health after birth. Good prenatal care gives less a chance for birth defects, this is why the mother has to be as careful as she can with everything she does.
Teratogens can also be found at home or the workplace. The effect is related to type of agent, dose and duration and time of exposure. The first half of pregnancy is the most vulnerable.
In addition, almost three percent of pregnant women use illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy and other amphetamines, and heroin.
Alcohol use in pregnancy has significant effects on the fetus and the baby. Alcohol can pass from the mother’s blood stream through the placenta to the fetus. Since alcohol is broken down more slowly in a fetus than in an adult, alcohol levels tend to remain high and stay in the baby’s body longer. Birth defects associated with prenatal exposure to alcohol can occur in the first three to eight weeks of pregnancy, before a woman even knows that she is pregnant.
Fetal alcohol syndrome is a group of abnormalities in babies born to mothers who consume alcohol during pregnancy. It is the most common known non-genetic (non-inherited) cause of mental retardation in the U.S.