Teratogen

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Teratogen

Introduction

Teratogen is the agent that creates developmental abnormalities in a fetus, usually after

exposure to such agents. It refers to harmful components which cause harm to the general well-

being of a pregnant woman by causing a congenital disability, termination, or malformation of

the pregnancy. The toxic elements can come in the form of medicine or chemicals, which can

usually be received through contraceptive pills. All these are causes of pregnancy complications

associated with miscarriages and malformations. X-rays and an increase in temperature of

pregnant women increase the probability of teratogen from occurring. Birth is a beautiful gift,

and teratogen ruins the prospect of it from happening. Developing an acceptable way to deal with

teratogenic cases is essential for nurses. They have to find a reason to deal with them positively

in a safe way for pregnant people. Evidence-based methods are necessary to implement accurate

ways to manage and deal with teratogenic agents in the environment. Critical thinking is vital for

assessing different cases in the nursing process needed to care for pregnant women. For proper

care to be implemented, communication skills and modern communication technology are

necessary for the appropriate care of different patients in the hospital. Teratogen is a broad topic

in the nursing field and will be looked at by this essay by tackling its principles, categories, and

prevention methods.

Basic Principles of Teratology

Teratology is the study of teratogens created to research teratogenic components and their

harmful agents. James Wilson came up with six principles that could sum teratogen's relationship

with developing organisms. The genotype of the conceptus influences the vulnerability to
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teratogenesis is the first principle of teratology. In this principle, he states that certain species do

not react to specific teratogens while others do react, or at the very least, are affected to a

different extent. An example of this is how different species respond to Thalidomide

(Tantibanchachai, 2017). It was used in hospitals to treat pregnant women but was later found to

cause malformations of the limbs and the face. On the other hand, rats and mice were resistant to

the effect of Thalidomide, showing how strains of species differ in how they react to different

teratogens in the environment. The relationship between the genetic make-up of an individual is

essential in understanding its relationship with the environment.

The second principle states that vulnerabilities to teratogenesis vary with the

developmental stage at the period of exposure to a significant proportion. This principle is

divided into six parts to explain it in greater detail; it begins with the division of the development

period as it illustrates the development steps. It is followed by the description of how embryo

vulnerability varies with each phase of growth. The third section of this principle in the

development of malformations due to the compromised mother tissue (Tantibanchachai, 2017). It

causes the developing organ to be affected by the teratogen during the development of the stage,

which is explained by the fourth and fifth sections of this principle. The final section of the

second principle states that environmental factors play a big part in destroying the germ cell.

Drugs, diet, and health complications are environmental factors affecting fetal development due

to the teratogen danger.

Teratogenic agents act in specific ways on developing cells to initiate the sequences of

abnormal developmental events, which is the third principle. It focuses on the causes of the

defect and how teratogens work in hindering fetal development. The principle states that each

teratogen has a distinctive manner of operating, causing a specific type of malformation every
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time it inhibits growth (Das et al., 2020). The patterns of the malformations can be studied and

help find a way to assess the differences between teratogen's effects and malformations.

Knowing the different mechanisms of a teratogen is critical to understanding how to counter its

impact. In this principle, James Wilson developed an adequate manner of dealing with the effects

of teratogens by taking supplements to counter the effects. It was not efficient but a suggestion

on how to deal with the impact of the unwanted agents.

The fourth principle was the access of adverse influences to developing tissues depending

on the nature of the influence, thus dividing the agents into physical agents and chemical agents.

A pregnant female is responsible for protecting the fetus from any harmful agents present in the

environment. Ionizing radiations are the harmful ones with teratogenic agents that harm the

growing fetus. Physical agents can typically be taken care of by the mother's body as they are

immune to minor environmental advances. The teratogenic agents of physical agents are usually

x-ray (Das et al., 2020). Chemical agents are likely to cause more harm due to the access method

they get into the fetus. The growing fetus is usually affected by the chemicals as it gains entry

through the placenta. The effects that a teratogen received from a chemical can be adverse

depending on the amount of chemical present in circulation.

The fifth principle is the four manifestations of deviant development are death,

malformation, growth retardation, and functional deficit. Each of the manifestations is influenced

by the teratogenic agents that are part of the stages of growth results in one of the manifestations

coming into fruition. The manifestations are a consequence of the effects of teratogens on the

developmental organism (Das et al., 2020). Teratogens cause deviant problems, and the

manifestations are usually unpredictable if the agent is explicitly not known. Accurate

communication between a nurse and a patient can help identify the agent being screened for and
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help try to limit the effect of the manifestation. The manifestations are the pains that come with a

malformation in growth, and generally, organisms sensitive to teratogens let other affected

organisms die.

Manifestation of the abnormal problem increase in frequency and degree as dosage

increases is the final principle stated by Hames Wilson on the study of teratogens. Tackling

teratogens and the thresholds they have against different developmental organisms. In some

instances, pregnant women may contact teratogens but fail to illustrate any signs of the effects of

the teratogens after the child's birth (Tantibanchachai, 2017). The mother's ability to tolerate high

levels of toxins might have transferred to the fetus, thus benefiting the fetus during the

developmental process. The level of the dose also affects the intensity of the manifestations

expected in the effects of teratogens. An increase in dosage can compromise an individual

previously immune to the impact of the agents.

Classification of Teratogens

To try and understand teratogens, scientists classified them into four categories for easier

understanding. Physical, infectious, chemical, and maternal conditions are the categories used to

place the different agents of teratogens. Physical components likely to result in teratogenesis are

ionizing radiation particles caused by energy found in electrically charged ions. X-rays are

charged matter that can cause complications during pregnancy due to the challenges of dealing

with it. Gamma rays are also a toxic component if exposed to pregnant women. Abnormalities

can occur in children whose mothers were given an X-ray exam throughout the pregnancy

(Chaudhary, 2019). Hyperthermia is a physical agent that increases the susceptibility of

teratogens by raising the body temperatures of pregnant women, which is harmful to the

developing baby. Experiments done on mice to determine the effect of heat during pregnancy
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proved that it could lead to teratogens. The embryos from the rats appeared deformed with

various defects present in multiple body organs. Hyperthermia can also lead to unexpected

miscarriages or any heart defects in humans, which affects the general health of a fetus. High

fevers among pregnant women have been associated with heart defects and multiple

abnormalities of the intestine. Most of the theories behind heat as a teratogenic factor have been

proven by experts to be among the causes of defects during pregnancy.

Maternal issues that may come with metabolic conditions are also a part of the harmful

agents that affect pregnancy and increase the probability of abnormalities occurring. Malnutrition

is one of the conditions that can arise during pregnancy if a proper diet is not followed during the

entire period of pregnancy. Women ought to eat healthy during the whole pregnancy period, and

are essential to ensure that the baby develops properly. A malnourished woman is definitely

carrying a malnourished baby due to the lack of nutrients necessary for the child's growth.

Diabetes is another condition that may affect the quality of development of the fetus during the

entire pregnancy period. In cases where the mother is hypoglycemic, the nurse must be keen to

ensure that the child is developing correctly (De Smidt et al., 2020). The child is at risk of

congenital disabilities due to the mother's inability to properly evaluate the proteins in the body,

thus compromising the fetus's overall development. Thyroid disorders are also a problem for

pregnant mothers, affecting the baby's development (Chaudhary, 2019). Problems with the

thyroid lead to imbalanced hormones level in the body, which affects the general formation of

the baby, causing a teratogenic effect that compromises the baby's proper appearance. Babies

born from mothers with thyroid conditions are likely to possess lower IQs due to the improper

development that happened during pregnancy.

Infections can also be teratogenic, causing complications during the birth and

development of the fetus. Rubella virus, herpes simplex, and syphilis are other kinds of teratogen

that nurses try to manage to minimize their impact on baby formation. Babies were more likely

to develop cataracts, especially when born to women infected with the rubella virus. The virus

penetrates through personal body fluids, which pave the way for the organism to compromise

pregnant women. Infection can also be through the partaking in contaminated food, which may

infect pregnant women with unwanted microbes, which are usually teratogenic. Drugs and

chemicals are the other teratogenic agents affecting how women can give birth to normal

children free from defects. Drugs like alcohol, cocaine, and retinoids are made from vitamin A

derivatives (Chaudhary, 2019). To understand the damage that vitamin A derivatives can cause,

scientists experimented to determine how it affected fetus development. Female pregnant pigs

were fed with derivatives from vitamin A the offspring came out with abnormalities where the

eyes were affected and could not see correctly due to the teratogenic components the mother had

come across during her pregnancy period. Large doses or very minimal doses of vitamin A can

cause congenital abnormalities during fetal formation and is later seen at birth. Thalidomide,

once a drug used to sedate pregnant women, was found to be teratogenic, and the drug was

discontinued from the public market due to the harm it was causing the public (De Smidt et al.,

2020). Over time, medical experts noted that women treated using the medication gave birth to

babies with abnormalities such as extra limbs or shortened limbs with very low bone density.

The drug was harmful to the general application of pregnant women and had to be recalled to

stop the effect of teratogenic on women. After the great catastrophe created by Thalidomide, the

FDA made a set of guidelines that would help evaluate various products used for their medicinal

value in humans be re-assessed to ensure it does not lead to unintended consequences.

Prevention of Teratogenic Agents

Pregnant women need to find a way to stay off harmful pathogens present in the

environment that might compromise the baby's development. Nurses are usually extra cautious in

cases concerning pregnant women with pre-existing conditions as it may limit their ability to go

through a smooth fetal development. For prospective parents, it is scary to think of having a baby

with congenital disabilities; luckily, teratogens account for a small percentage of congenital

disabilities. Despite the small number of congenital disabilities reported because of teratogens,

reducing pregnant mothers' contact with harmful agents is essential. Proper prevention method is

necessary to ensure that the pregnant women stay in a safe environment throughout pregnancy

(Shroukh et al., 2020). Pregnant women need to avoid taking hot baths, especially inside hot tubs

or into the sauna. Such hot conditions are not suitable for fetal development, and this is why

women are discouraged from involving themselves in hot conditions. Nurses in the hospital

should learn to manage any pre-existing condition present in pregnant women. Doing so is

critical to helping the pregnant lady manage her condition correctly without fearing any

complications occurring during fetal development. Pregnant women should learn to practice

good hygiene as it helps them avoid sickness, which may compromise the formation of the baby.

Maintaining a good clean bill of health is vital for pregnant women as infections can sometimes

also affect the fetus affecting the standard development process that goes on during the entire

period.

Alcohol, cigarettes, and any form of drug taken for recreational use should be avoided by

pregnant women. Drugs contain harmful components, which are teratogens and will very likely

affect the development of the baby. Partaking in drugs of any kind during pregnancy releases

chemicals into the pregnant body, which flows all the way to the developing fetus. A developing
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fetus does not react well with harmful components present in the body and is thus unable to

develop appropriately like other similar fetuses (Shroukh et al., 2020). During the entire

pregnancy period, any medication and vaccination given should be under the directive of a

doctor specialized in maternal care. It is crucial to have a doctor evaluate all medication as it will

help identify any medicine given that might be a teratogen. Exposure of pregnant women to

unnecessary radiation through x-ray machines should be avoided as it exposes the fetus to

teratogens. Implementing careful measures all across the pregnancy period will help to ensure

that the presence of a teratogen does not compromise the fetus's development.

Conclusion

To conclude, teratogens are harmful agents which affect the general development of a

fetus. The study of teratogens is teratology, where James Wilson came up with six principles to

help study the harmful agents affecting teratology. The level of dose affects the level of intensity

expected from a toxic agent. Physical and chemical agents are sources of teratogens agents.

Physical agents can be from x-ray and hyperthermia. Chemical agents are drugs, medications, or

vaccines that are likely to have teratogens. Teratogens have their mechanisms of action, which

leads to a specific malformation in a developing stage. Different stages of development are

affected differently by teratogens depending on the extremeness of the exposure.

References

Chaudhary, G., & Sehgal, A. (2019). Teratogens. International Journal of Emerging

Technologies and Innovative Research (www. jetir. org), ISSN, 2349-5162.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3691088

Das, N., Guha, M., & SJ, X. S. Teratotoxicity: Developmental Toxicity due to Environmental

Teratogens. https://www.academia.edu/download/56998722/Teratotoxicity.pdf

De Smidt, J. J. A., Odendaal, H. J., Nel, D. G., Nolan, H., Du Plessis, C., Brink, L. T., &

Oelofse, A. (2020). The effects of in utero exposure to teratogens on organ size: a

prospective paediatric study. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, 1-

10. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-developmental-origins-of-health-

and-disease/article/effects-of-in-utero-exposure-to-teratogens-on-organ-size-a-

prospective-paediatric-study/46C0BEE4A5B9406CDA2D65AE06C40613

Shroukh, W. A., Steinke, D. T., & Willis, S. C. (2020). Risk management of teratogenic

medicines: A systematic review. Birth Defects Research, 112(20), 1755-1786.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bdr2.1799

Tantibanchachai, C. (2017). " Experimental Studies on Congenital Malformations"(1959), by

James G. Wilson. Embryo Project Encyclopedia.

https://hpsrepository.asu.edu/handle/10776/11696