Teratogenicity refers to the ability of substances such as viruses, chemicals, and radiation to cause developmental abnormalities in fetuses. Prenatal exposure to teratogens can result in fetal death or minor abnormalities. Pregnant women are advised to avoid substances with known teratogenicity, but the dosage at which substances become harmful is often unknown due to ethical issues. Parents of children with developmental abnormalities are asked to provide detailed pregnancy history to help others avoid similar situations.
Teratogenicity is the ability to cause developmental abnormalities in a fetus. Things that can cause developmental abnormalities are known as teratogens and include things like viruses, chemicals and radiation. Their study is known as teratology; all of these words share a Greek root meaning “monster,” a reference to the fact that some developmental anomalies have historically been viewed as monstrosities or wonders.
Substances with teratogenic effects can damage the DNA of a developing fetus. They can cause everything from abnormal development of a limb to malformation of an organ, and effects to the developing fetus can vary depending on the teratogen, gestational age of the fetus, and other factors. Sometimes, prenatal exposure to teratogens results in fetal death, while in other cases, someone may be born with relatively minor abnormalities such as extra fingers or toes.
Substances with known teratogenicity should be handled with caution. Pregnant women are encouraged to avoid exposure to such substances and are closely monitored to minimize the risk of unintended release. As researchers have learned, however, sometimes the danger of a substance isn’t known until it’s too late. Thalidomide, for example, was used extensively in pregnant women until medical experts realized it was causing developmental abnormalities.
It is difficult to study this topic in humans because there are serious ethical issues involved in exposing pregnant women to substances that could cause birth defects. As a result, the dosage at which substances become harmful is often not known because health care professionals do not want to expose women to various dosages in a controlled experiment to see which of them had children with developmental abnormalities. As illustrated by thalidomide, which has been used safely in laboratory animals, animal testing does not always demonstrate categorically that a substance is safe to use in pregnant women.
Pregnant women are usually told to avoid substances of unknown teratogenicity. Sometimes, medical professionals have reason to believe that a substance is likely harmful because it is related to other harmful compounds or because a link has been noted between exposure and developmental abnormalities. In other cases, they simply err on the side of caution with unknown substances until more information is available.
When parents have a child with developmental abnormalities, they are often asked to discuss the pregnancy history in detail, with particular attention to anything the mother has been exposed to, from unusual foods to travel history. While this can understandably be painful, it can provide important information about the potential dangers of little-studied substances, and a willingness to provide detailed information can help other parents avoid such situations in the future.
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