FETAL TERATOGENS Flashcards
any factor, chemical or physical, that adversely affects the fertilized ovum, embryo, or fetus.
TERATOGENS
FETAL TERATOGENS
- Maternal Infections/Diseases
- Potentially Teratogenic Vaccines
- Teratogenic Drugs
- Alcohol
- Cigarettes
- Environmental Teratogens
- Maternal Stress
Factors influence the amount of damage a teratogen can cause:
- Strength of the teratogen
- The timing of the teratogenic insult
- Teratogen’s affinity for specific tissue
TORCH SCREEN
Toxoplasmosis
Other infections (Hep.B & HIV)
Rubella
Cytomegalovirus
Herpes Simples Virus
a protozoan infection, is spread most commonly through contact with uncooked meat, although it may also be contracted through handling cat stool in soil or cat litter.
Toxoplasmosis
o Women can help prevent exposure by thorough handwashing before eating and
avoiding crowds of young children at daycare or nursery settings.
• transmitted from person to person by droplet infection
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
• The virus in the mother’s bloodstream (viremia) crosses the placenta to the fetus IF genital lesions are present at the time of birth, however, a fetus may contract the virus from direct exposure during birth.
Herpes Simplex Virus (Genital Herpes Infection)
Several infections are not teratogenic to a fetus during pregnancy but are harmful if they are present at the time of birth.
– Gonorrhea,
– candidiasis,
– Chlamydia,
– Streptococcus B
– hepatitis B infections
– once liberally prescribed for morning sickness
– causes amelia or phocomelia (total or partial absence of extremities) in 100% of instances when taken between the 34th and 45th day of pregnancy.
Thalidomide
– a drug taken by both men and women to restore hair growth
– can cause fetal deformities
Minoxidil (Rogaine)
causing intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)
Narcotics
• craniofacial deformity including short palpebral fissures,
• thin upper lip
• upturned nose
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
• cause fetal growth restriction.
• fetus may be at greater risk for being stillborn
• after birth, may be at greater risk than others for sudden infant death syndrome.
• Low birth weight in infants
Teratogenicity of Cigarette
washing children’s hair with a shampoo such as lindane (Kwell) to remove lice should be limited to two exposures because of potential toxicity.
Environmental Teratogens