Developmental Toxicity Samples for Students †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Developmental Toxicity. Answer: Introduction Developmental toxicity is functional or structural alteration that interferes with the development, differentiation, growth and homeostasis of the fetus or the embryo. This developmental effect can be reversible or irreversible and can cause developmental alterations in the offspring. Several factors can cause these alterations such as environmental factors, toxoids, chemicals, drug and so on. This toxicity are divided in two groups namely in early pregnancy and second while development of different organs of the fetus. Developmental complications in early pregnancy lead to abortion whereas in the later stage it causes congenital defects of structure and functions of the organs (Hood, 2016). This assignment is going to talk about such developmental problems with focus on the need of time for the symptoms to show. Further, the changes that occur in different stages of embryonic development will be discussed. Finally, the stages of these changes to originate anomalies in the structure of the fetus will be discussed. Development disorder and relation to time Toxicants that affect the fetus during prenatal stage can be of different types, environmental, chemical or drug related. However, maximum of the developmental anomalies are related to the environmental factors. Developmental disorders are mostly congenital related and occurs during uterine development. The rate of such anomalies is very less and this is because of the strong immune support from the mother. However, due to long-term and continual exposure, the fetus comes into the contact of the teratogenic toxins that leads to alter the physiological morphology of the fetus. As different chemicals have different toxicogenic effect on the development, hence the time factor is important to determine the kind of anomalies the fetus is going to develop. It also depends on the time in which the mother has ingested the drug or the chemical has acquired the sensitivity window. For an example, the drug containing thalidomide is generally prescribed during the 6th or 7th week of the gestation. Hence, the abnormalities related to that toxoid will occur in that timeframe only (Williams, James Roberts, 2000). Changes occur in different gestational stages During 6th and 7th week, due to presence of thalidomide in mothers blood, the tissue of the fetus can be damaged. Teeth and eyes can also be damaged as these are formed within 5th and 8th Drug isotretinion puts adverse effects on craniofacial deformities including cardiac and central nervous system abnormalities. Reproductive development of the fetus occurs in the late phase of the gestational phase and it occurs due to presence of anticoagulants, lithium and tetracycline. Another toxoid is Alcohol that leads to fetal alcohol syndrome. It hampers the growth, both mental and physical and attention disorders. This syndrome can occur due to minimal dose as well (Geoffroy et al., 2013). Changes of these developmental anomalies in health complications Different abnormalities that arise due to different teratogenic toxoids can cause a wide range of disorders in the postnatal stage. Due to tissue related disorders, the infant can grow dysplasia or deformation that is related to tissue development. On the other hand, Due to malnutrition, or adverse effect of alcohol or smoking, the fetus can grow dysmelia, that is limb disorder, congenital aplasia and so on. Other disorders include heart related disorder, gastrointestinal and central nervous system related anomalies and urinary tract deformities (Williams, James Roberts, 2000). References Geoffroy, P. A., Etain, B., Scott, J., Henry, C., Jamain, S., Leboyer, M., Bellivier, F. (2013). Reconsideration of bipolar disorder as a developmental disorder: importance of the time of onset.Journal of Physiology-Paris,107(4), 278-285. Hood, R. D. (Ed.). (2016).Developmental and reproductive toxicology: a practical approach. CRC Press. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=enlr=id=AmnvBQAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PP1dq=developmental+toxicology+ots=707kY4iR9Ksig=V70P6iT0zSaeKTc3U4kqD0iYiKk#v=onepageq=developmental%20toxicologyf=false Williams, P., James, R., Roberts, S. (2000).Principles of Toxicology: Environmental and Industrial Applications(2nd ed., pp. 209-228). New York: a Willey-interscience Publication.