What are most common teratogens?

Alcohol: One of the most commonly used teratogens is alcohol, and because half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, it is recommended that women of child-bearing age take great caution against drinking alcohol when not using birth control or when pregnant (CDC, 2005).

What is the number one teratogen?

One teratogen that affects the central nervous system is alcohol. Alcohol, at any time during the pregnancy, has the potential to cause birth defects and health problems in the baby, since the central nervous system is sensitive to teratogens the entire nine months of gestation.

Is Thalidomide a teratogen?

Thalidomide is a potent teratogen that induces a range of birth defects, most commonly of the developing limbs.

What are the 4 categories of teratogens?

Additionally, teratogens may also affect pregnancies and cause complications such as preterm labors, spontaneous abortions, or miscarriages. Teratogens are classified into four types: physical agents, metabolic conditions, infection, and finally, drugs and chemicals.

Is folic acid a teratogen?

Folate deficiency has a well-established teratogenic effect, leading to an increasing risk of neural tube defects. This paper highlights the most recent medical literature about folate deficiency, be it maternal or paternal.

Is Accutane a teratogen?

Isotretinoin is a molecule and a byproduct (metabolite) of vitamin A, and in greater than normal amounts in pregnant women, it can cause fetal abnormalities including cleft lips, ear and eye defects, and mental retardation.

Is isotretinoin a teratogen?

Isotretinoin and its commercially available brands, although effective in the treatment of acne, can cause developmental abnormalities in the fetus (teratogenic effects) and therefore should not be used during pregnancy due to the risk of birth defects.

Is coffee a teratogen?

In humans, caffeine does not present any teratogenic risk. The increased risk of the most common congenital malformations entailed by moderate consumption of caffeine is very slight.