Clinical Teratology Research (Essay Sample)

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Which teratogen did you choose and why?
Alcohol, because it is more harmful to a developing fetus than others and is used by the majority of pregnant women
What are the potential short term and long term effects of this teratogen on the fetus and developing person?
Alcohol and its key metabolite, acetaldehyde, induce teratogenicity. A significant number of infants born to mothers who are chronic, heavy daily drinkers are said to be affected by fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). These infants survive birth but are mentally impaired, often have growth retardation, and have a unique range of clinical features, the most notable of which are craniofacial abnormalities and neurological damage.
Studies have extensively become involved in the optic nerve effects of pregnant female mice exposed to a single high dose of alcohol during pregnancy, similar to a "binge" drinking episode, and believe that our results, which are described in the first part of this study, may shed valuable light on the pathogenesis of some of the ocular features seen in Down syndrome infants. Alcohol and other "spindle-active" compounds that have a powerful impact on the meiotic spindle apparatus before conception may cause chromosome segregation errors in the ovulated oocyte, which is not well understood.
Aneuploid embryos are formed as a result of successful fertilization of such eggs, and they have a high risk of spontaneous abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. The few aneuploid definition consumers that survive to term almost always have moderate to severe mental retardation, craniofacial and other abnormalities, and a life expectancy that is significantly reduced.
Women have a slower “first-pass” metabolism of alcohol because they have less alcohol dehydrogenase in their gastrointestinal tract. As a result, the end-organ effects of alcohol are faster in women. Alcohol can induce premature labor in pregnant women, and drinking Guinness or other ales can reduce rather than boost estrogen levels, contrary to popular opinion. Any alcohol consumption during the first weeks of pregnancy will quadruple the risk of premature birth (according to one retrospective study).
Has this teratogen become more or less of a problem in recent years (perhaps a result of technological changes, educational awareness, social changes or other reasons?) Explain the reasons for this change.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a serious public health problem that has gained a lot of attention in the media. Despite the fact that alcohol has been regarded as a teratogen since the nineteenth century, it is taken by about 15% of pregnant women, with concentrations as high as 20% in recent years. Self-reporting has historically been used to estimate prevalence, such as the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health. Downstream dysfunction develops over decades rather than as a result of congenital defects or withdrawal syndromes in the infant, according to comprehensive evidence. Subtle but pervasive developmental flaws will put the mother at risk of relapsing into substance abuse.
Forty years ago, alcohol was not commonly recognized as a teratogen. We now know more about the consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure, as well as the frequency and mechanisms of alcohol-related trauma. Despite the fact that diagnostic, preventive, and recovery approaches have advanced, there are still challenges. The development of biomarkers that aid in the detection and precise quantification of prenatal alcohol intake could aid in the better identification and diagnosis of FASD across the board. It's also important to keep coming up with new ways to avoid and recover.
The increasing number of alcohol consumption during pregnancy requires a deeper understanding of the factors that directly cause mothers to do so. Pregnant women alcohol usage has been related to prior alcohol use, socioeconomic class, rising salaries, tobacco use, spouse misuse, having drinking partners or friends, late pregnancy awareness, and perceived alcohol risks. Other factors include traumatic experience, accommodation, and educational status. The high prevalence of alcohol use is influenced by a variety of factors including maternal age, parity, faith affiliation, tribe, and HIV status.
The presence of relatives who drink has been linked to drinking during pregnancy. Women who have an alcoholic partner or family are more likely to drink when pregnant. Having local alcohol as a source of income increases the chances of drinking while pregnant. Making and selling conventional alcohol increases access because women can drink alcohol at home; this tends to be a comfortable environment for them.
What steps can prospective parents take to minimize the effects of this teratogen?
During pregnancy or while attempting to conceive, there is no known acceptable level of alc