Teratogens (Essay Sample)

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TERATOGENS
Teratogens are agents that may hinder the normal development of a fetus. The normal developmental stages of a baby progress from it being a zygote, an embryo then a fetus and finally a fully developed baby. However they may be at risk if exposed to certain factors (CDC, 2014). These factors lead to abnormal birth defects like retardation, functional deficits or even in worst case scenarios it may lead to the death of the baby. Teratology, which is the study on the effects of certain teratogenic exposures, has classified these teratogens into broader contexts which range from: maternal factors, infections, chemical, radiation and drug exposures. It has been observed that teratogenic agents act on developing cells and tissues leading to the initiation of abnormal development sequences. Babies who are born from exposure from these teratogenic agents have been documented to have acquired either physical or psychological effects or even both. This paper seeks to analyze alcohol as a teratogenic agent, detailing of its documented effects and how these effects can actually be mitigated.
Alcohol as a Teratogen
Numerous research on the role of alcohol as a teratogenic agent has been previously been conducted. However, before we analyze its effects on a developing fetus, it is vital to understand how alcohol is assimilated and ultimately ends up into the blood stream. Alcohol once ingested travels to the stomach where it is absorbed by the stomach lining. It then joins the bloodstream and as a result of its circulation, it is transported up to the brain. Its effects include the hindrance of one utilizing his cognitive abilities such as making coherent decisions as well as composing simple sentence structures as their speech abilities get impaired. The fetus, which is located in the placenta, acquires nutrients from the mother through the aid of chorionic villi. These villi are programmed to enable smooth transfer of nutrients into the fetus while aiding the exit of waste from the system. So, it is scientifically correct to put it that, when a woman gets intoxicated by alcohol, the baby does the same. The only difference with regard to this assumption is that alcohol stays in the baby’s system for much longer. Continued use of alcohol by a pregnant woman may lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
According to statistics, this is the most common form of mental and physical retardation that is not caused by genetic factors. These conditions are highly influenced by the actual period within which the woman had been exposed to the drug (CDC, 2014). Continued exposure to alcohol by a woman one month into her pregnancy may place her baby at a higher risk of contracting these conditions. The child’s brain for example, suffers a heavy impact. This is because the brain’s development actually starts quite early and continues throughout the better part of the gestation period.
This condition generally hinders the correct development of cognitive abilities of the baby and may lead to actual brain and speech impairments. The actual notable effects of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders include the child having: being born underweight, contracting hyperactive behavior, having a shorter than average body height, having a smaller head size, experience learning disabilities and also being prone to having poor memories. There are however different terms that are used to describe this condition depending on the type and symptoms associate with each. They include:
Alcohol–Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Patients who are diagnosed with this condition generally portray a much harder/difficult time understanding or relating with academic concepts or studies. This is because they have a much lower intelligence quotient and are not capable of solving complex or simple mathematical equations. This can better be explained as clear result of impairment of their brain’s right hemisphere. Solving complex patters or equations are usually a delegated function of the brain’s right hemisphere (Springer & Deutsche, 1993)
Alcohol-Related Birth Defects
These are generally physical defects that may be present among children born to alcoholic mothers. They may include bone defects, hearing defects, heart and kidney malfunctions as well as skeletal and gross visceral abnormalities.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
These are non-genetic conditions that arise from prolonged alcohol intoxication by the woman while pregnant. These conditions range from defects to the Central Nervous System to the baby acquiring a violent temperament issue and also the occurrence of abnormal facial features. Death can also be an outcome from being diagnosed with this syndrome.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Treatment
Unfortunately, there are no treatment options available to completely alleviate these birth defects. This is because most of these defects are permanent. An example of such is the birth spinal defects that are virtually impossible to correct. However, it has been noted that early diagnosis of some conditions may indeed aid physicians in prescribing appropriate drugs for this patients. These drugs would play a vital role at improving the overall quality of life among patients diagnosed with FASD. Other forms of treatment may include physiotherapy, behavior training, education coaching and also guardian training on how best to treat and nurture such patients.
Mitigation Measures
Despite most women actually acknowl...