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Teratogens are substances that may cause birth defects via a toxic effect on an embryo or foetus. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Teratogens . See also the categories Carcinogens and Mutagens
Teratogens are classified in four main categories: Drugs in pregnancy – in addition to environmental chemicals, includes recreational drug use and pharmaceutical drugs. Vertically transmitted infections; Radiation, such as X-rays; Mechanical forces, such as oligohydramnios; Teratogens affect the fetus by various mechanism including:
Teratology is the study of abnormalities of physiological development in organisms during their life span. It is a sub-discipline in medical genetics which focuses on the classification of congenital abnormalities in dysmorphology caused by teratogens and also in pharmacology and toxicology.
Daughters exposed to DES in utero may also have an increased risk of moderate to severe cervical squamous cell dysplasia and an increased risk of breast cancer. [6] In addition to its carcinogenic properties, DES is a known teratogen, an agent capable of causing malformations in daughters and sons who were exposed in utero.
During pregnancy, a woman can also be exposed to teratogens from contaminated clothing or toxins within the seminal fluid of a partner. [ 38 ] [ 30 ] [ 39 ] An additional study found that of 200 individuals referred for genetic counseling for a teratogenic exposure, 52% were exposed to more than one potential teratogen.
Currently, DES is known to increase the risk of breast cancer, and cause a variety of birth-related adverse outcomes exposed female offsprings such as spontaneous abortion, second-trimester pregnancy loss, preterm delivery, stillbirth, neonatal death, sub/infertility and cancer of reproductive tissues.
Hyperglycemia and associated teratogenic mediators influence DNA methylation, non-coding RNA expression, histone modifications and other epigenetic regulation mechanisms. Research is focused on exploring the impact of diabetic embryopathy on methylation signatures, which could potentially serve as a diagnostic biomarker for the condition.
Facilitate the early warning of teratogenic exposures. Evaluate the effectiveness of primary prevention. Assess the impact of developments in prenatal screening. Act as an information and resource center regarding clusters or exposures or risk factors for concern.