Birth defects can be caused by exposure to chemicals during pregnancy

The period of pregnancy is the most sacred period for optimal child development. Therefore, it is appropriate for pregnant women to maintain their physical health and diet to ensure the health of the baby in the womb. However, there is still a risk that the baby will be born with a defect, even if the parents have made such efforts to protect the pregnancy. Many factors can cause birth defects. Birth defects can arise due to genetic factors. But the most common and frequent factors causing birth defects are exposure to chemicals and foreign substances that the mother receives from the environment during pregnancy. These foreign substances are called teratogens.

What are teratogens?

Teratogens are foreign agents that can cause birth defects due to developmental abnormalities in the fetus while in the womb. Teratogens can be in the form of chemicals, infections, foreign substances, or certain drugs, and even diseases experienced by pregnant women.

In general, disorders related to teratogens are caused by exposure that comes from the environment, either directly or indirectly and / or intentionally or not. It is estimated that 4-5% of cases of birth defects are caused by exposure to teratogens.

How do teratogens cause birth defects?

The fertilized egg takes about six to nine days to attach to the uterus. This process allows the fetus to get blood supply from the same source as the mother, so that the presence of an agent or foreign substance in the mother's blood can enter the bloodstream of the developing fetus.

Teratogen exposure increases the risk of developmental problems in the fetus if this occurs early in pregnancy, or about 10 to 14 days after the egg is fertilized. However, abnormalities can also occur outside of these phases, when exposure to a specific teratogen coincides with a specific phase of organ development. For example, a pregnant woman's blood alcohol intake after the fetus is one month old can affect the development of her brain and spine.

Types of foreign substances that are included in teratogens

Teratogens are widely found in the environment, and can enter the body anytime anywhere. Most of the exposure to teratogens comes from the environment, but several methods of treatment and drug use are also known to have teratogenic effects.

Medicinal chemicals

Aminopterin - is an ingredient in chemotherapy drugs which have the side effect of inhibiting the work of folic acid and fetal cell and DNA growth, and can cause disruption in the development of central nerve cells in the fetal brain.
Phenytoin, valporic acid and trimethadione - is an antiepileptic drug which is known to trigger heart defects and microcephaly in infants.
Warfarin – is a blood thinner drug that can interfere with the neurological development of the brain and fetal vision.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) - is an antidepressant drug that is known to trigger non-specific disorders of the respiratory tract and diarrhea in babies after birth. However, it should be understood that the benefits of antidepressants during pregnancy outweigh the risks. Depression during pregnancy is more likely to cause health problems for the mother and her pregnancy than the side effects of the medication.
Isotretinion – The drugs used to treat acne are known to cause developmental disorders in various organs including heart defects, cleft lip, and neural tube defects.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors – is an antihypertensive drug that is known to inhibit the development of the fetus as a whole as well as disorders of the baby's kidneys and sometimes death.
Androgen and progestin hormones - can trigger reproductive organ abnormalities in female fetuses so that they have more masculine features such as enlargement of the clitoris and genital cavity that closes.
The hormone estrogen - in the form of diethylstilbestrol (DES) is known to trigger abnormal development of the uterine, cervical and vaginal organs in female fetuses.

Certain substances and other drugs

Alcohol - Alcohol consumption is known to be the leading cause of fetal alcohol syndrome, a set of congenital disorders that cause brain damage and growth problems in the fetus because the mother drinks alcohol while pregnant. Even a small amount of alcohol can cause developmental disorders in the baby's body. The manifestation of birth defects mainly appears on the face, arms and legs. FAS also causes central nervous disorders, heart defects, and mental retardation.
Cigarettes - can increase the risk of developing a fetus in birth and experiencing low birth weight when born. Pregnant women who smoke can cause birth defects with heart and brain abnormalities. Babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke are also more likely to have motor problems at birth, such as slow startle reflexes and tremors. The longer you smoke and the more cigarette butts you smoke, the more likely you are to have birth defects
Opioid drugs - are drugs that act as painkillers such as morphine and are known to increase the risk of low birth weight and preterm birth.
Marijuana- cause the effect of changing the work of the brain. Mothers who smoke marijuana during pregnancy increase the risk of the baby experiencing low birth weight, blood sugar disorders, calcium deficiency, and brain hemorrhage at birth. Other drugs such as amphetamines have the same effect as marijuana.
Cocaine - Cocaine can interfere with central nervous development as well as fetal organ development during pregnancy. Exposure to cocaine also increases the risk of a child developing a behavioral disorder when he is born later.

Other chemicals

Mercury - is a chemical that can cause congenital defects such as mental retardation and cerebral palsy. Mercury can come from consumption of seafood.
X-ray - X-rays when X-rays can interfere with the development of central nervous organs and limb organs such as hands and feet during fetal development. Until now, there is no known safe limit for exposure to X-rays when X-rays during pregnancy, but the use of X-rays to clean teeth is considered safe to do even when pregnant.
Radiation and chemotherapy - Both of these cancer treatment methods are not recommended to do during pregnancy because they have a very high risk of disrupting the development of the baby in the womb If possible, this procedure should be postponed until postpartum. However, if this is not possible, this treatment should still be done to maintain the chances of survival for pregnant women.

Infection during pregnancy

Some infectious diseases are very risky for causing birth defects, such as mental retardation, jaundice, anemia, low birth weight, impaired vision and hearing, heart and skin problems. Infection during pregnancy is also at the highest risk of causing stillbirths (stillbirth) during the first trimester of pregnancy when the major organs are still developing.

Infections that can endanger pregnancy include: