What are teratogens?
Answers
Answer:
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.
Answer:
Teratology is the study of abnormalities of physiological development in all organisms including plants during the entire life span. A sub discipline in Medical Genetics which focuses on the classification of congenital abnormalities is dysmorphology. The related term developmental toxicity includes all manifestations of abnormal development that are caused by environmental insult. These may include growth retardation, delayed mental development or other congenital disorders without any structural malformations.[1]
Teratogens are substances that may cause birth defects via a toxic effect on an embryo or fetus.[2] Known teratogens include: thalidomide,[3] mercury,[4] alcohol,[5] lead,[6] and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).[7]