A teratogen is any agent that causes abnormality in a developing embryo. Teratogens are agents that cross the placental wall and cause physical abnormalities, along with cognitive and behavioral defects. Usually, these malformations show up anywhere from the third to eighth week of pregnancy, or the first trimester, which is when major organ systems are developing. Some types of teratogens consist of certain medications, chemicals, and infections or other diseases in the mother (Things to Avoid During Pregnancy: Teratogens, 2016). One of the possible teratogens that I have been exposed to within the last week was coffee. I have a coffee addiction and the fact that you should not have coffee, or any caffeine for that matter, while you are …show more content…
There are several reasons for this, one reason being that not all pregnancies are planned. According to (Preconception Health , 2010), preconception health means knowing how certain health conditions and risk factors could affect a woman and/or her unborn baby should she become pregnant. For instance, some foods and medicines could harm a baby even before it is conceived. Everyone who is sexually active should be thinking about their health whether or not they are trying to conceive a child because as I said before, not all pregnancies are planned. (Preconception Health , 2010), says that unplanned pregnancies are at a greater risk of low birth rate babies and of preterm …show more content…
You could be at risk of being exposed to mercury if you are around dental fillings, broken fluorescent light bulbs, and even some fish have severely high levels of mercury in them. According to (Teratogens- What to Avoid During Pregnancy, 2016), mercury can stop the duplication process of cells which in turn could lead to the death of a fetus. Mercury is also known to change cells as they divide which could lead to different alterations in the developing fetus’s nervous system. Arsenic is dangerous to a developing fetus because studies have shown that mothers who have been around a high level of arsenic have had babies who were still born, or had to be unexpectedly aborted. You could be exposed to arsenic by some well waters, by living near or working at an industrial furnace that burns waste having arsenic, and some building lumber is treated with arsenic as well. Lead is a threat to a developing fetus due to the fact that exposure to lead is common. Lead can be found in batteries, paint, ammunition, and even certain toys. Exposure to lead can cause a baby to be born prematurely, with a low birth weight, and it could cause abnormal markings on a baby’s body. It should go without saying that anyone who is sexually active should be aware of sexually transmitted diseases. STD’s can be passed on to a baby when a mother gives
The article could potentially be considered outdated because it was posted roughly ten years ago. On the website, the author suggests individuals should have better access to birth control, the “morning-after” pill, and proper sex education that could drastically change the number of unintended pregnancies. If this were to happen, it could increase the knowledge of sex, pregnancies, and how to prevent it; however, making young adults more knowledgeable does not mean that we will lower the number of pregnancies
There are many factors that are integrated into the successful development of a child from Prenatal growth into toddlerhood. Teratogens (outside factors) have a great impact on the babies’ inutero development. Some outside factors like second-hand smoke, smog, or fumes from cleaning chemicals can cause negative effects on the child inside the womb. A few major affects from teratogens could result in low birth weight, head circumference, slow physical growth as well as an effect on mental, behavioral and motor skills (Berk, 2003). The environment around the mother provides many of these outside factors affecting the baby’s growth. But the main link to teratogens during the gestation period is most likely the mother. Daniel S. Messinger and the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that 2.8% of pregnant women admitted to using illicit drugs during their pregnancy (1996). Through illicit drug use, tobacco use and alcohol use, the mother disrupts her baby’s growth with possibly permanent damage.
Tobacco use during pregnancy is another environmental influence. The nicotine, carbon monoxide, and many other harmful chemicals mixed together in cigarettes are very harmful to the mother and especially the unborn child. This can cut off the baby’s oxygen supply, increase the risk of
The birth of a healthy child is a blessing. The prenatal period is susceptible in terms of embryonic development, and some exposures to teratogens can have adverse and lifelong affects on a baby. Although physical outcomes resulting from teratogen exposure cannot be reversed, with hope, some of the behavioral effects of Teratogens may have a decreased impact on the life of the child, though all mothers should pay special attention to the health of their child throughout their pregnancy.
Parents are not as smart as they used to be in the sex education area. Many parents are afraid to speak with their children. Some may feel that their children are learning about it in school so why should they say it again. Many teenagers are sent to foster homes because the parents are too busy to take care of their responsibilities. Neglect is a cause for teenagers to get pregnant. They feel that if they have a child that they can be loved.
After a teen gets pregnant they start thinking of a way to hide it from their parents,The big problems start then. Many reasons teens think of are suicide, abortion and many other reasons. Abortions are becoming more frequent due to the ignorance and intolerance of certain societies around the world. This leads to the death of many teenage mothers as well as their children. There a lot of things that can cause an unplanned teen pregnancy, such as teens experimenting with sexual encounters at a young age. Another reason is the lack of guidance due to parents that do not take care of their children. For some, these pregnancies are planned but 85% of these teens pregnancy is unplanned (Website Title: Teen Ink,Article Title: Teenage Pregnancy,Date Accessed: April 03, 2014).
... is the direct effect of teens and young adults not being educated on the things that come with sex and the consequences of their actions. Teens need sex education because the knowledge will give them an insight on the subject and help them think about the proper precautions to take in order to be a responsible person insuring that they use the right contraception and/or abstinence in order for them not to have children as a teen. Other factors play into why teens become pregnant as well. In the results for my interviews, parent/child relationships should be established and upheld as a relationship that is strictly parent and child. Teens who do not have a true parent/parents in their lives to care about the important thing that contribute to the child’s well being such a becoming pregnant at a young age, tend to make decisions that are not healthy in their lives.
Sometimes it is because the condoms or birth control did not fully protect them, either way I do not think it should be used unless the woman is in an exceptional position to be in. Narrow topic -. Choose one issue in the abortion debate. E.g. abortion is only permissible in situations of rape or incest. "
I would argue that giving birth isn 't always the most responsible option. If a woman knows that she won 't be able to effectively take care of the child I’d say it’s more responsible of her to have an abortion and prevent them both from having a future full of hardships. People also say that if a woman had practiced safe sex and used contraception than she could have avoided it all together. According to Newsweek, a report released by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that, “fewer than half of high schools and only a fifth of middle schools teach lessons on all 16 of the nationally recommended topics for sexual health education.” They also found that, “schools were least likely to teach kids how to obtain or use condoms.” This shows that not everyone is informed on how to obtain or correctly use contraceptives, so avoiding a pregnancy might not always be an
...e also preventative measures that can be put into place to avoid conception such as birth control and protected sex. They are simple steps that are not taken into consideration based on society’s effect on the world.
Every woman when pregnant has a 3-5% chance of having a baby born with a birth defect, and these chances increase when the developing fetus/ embryos are exposed to teratogens, whether it’s intentional or unintentional (Bethesda (MD), 2006). Teratogens can cause severe birth defects, malformations, or terminate the pregnancy altogether (Jancárková, & Gregor, 2000). The placenta is known as an effective barrier from any detrimental pathogen that can potentially hurt the fetus. The timing of exposure of any teratogen is critical to the impact of prenatal development (Bethesda (MD), 2006). The most vulnerable time of the fetus for severe damage is during early pregnancy when all the major organ and central nervous system (CNS) are developing. Miscarriages have an important role in keeping a pregnancy from evolving when there is something serious going on with the developing fetus/embryo. Miscarriages are more common than we think and are the most familiar type of pregnancy loss (Bethesda (MD), 2006).
Being healthy while pregnant is an important factor when considering carrying a baby. The risk of dying by giving birth is higher than having an abortion (ProCon). Not at women can handle the negatives of giving birth and survive through them. If a woman is aware that should is not healthy enough to give birth, she
Sex before marriage has always been a major issue. Teen pregnancy seems to double yearly: with no sign of stopping. Some teens use contraceptives and birth control incorrectly. They think pregnancy just can’t happen to them. In a lot of cases their embarrassed to buy protection or just simply unsure of how to use them. Many unplanned pregnancies happen beca...
The environment can influence a lot during prenatal development. Broderick & Blewitt (2010) state “genes can do nothing without environmental input—and that environmental effects are shaped by genetic constraints” (p. 34). Teratogens and disease can cause birth defects during prenatal development. Pregnant mothers should avoid things like drugs, radiation, and stay away from people or places that could be infested with viruses. These can result in a defect in th...
Several causes for teen pregnancy are: the need for affection, acceptance, and unprotected sex. One may have a poor home life and look for affection from a peer. The simple desire to feel loved by another person may be a cause for an unexpected pregnancy. A teen may have a low self-esteem and simply be looking for acceptance in the bedroom. However, many teens that have a wonderful, affectionate family and are very confidante are merely looking for the few minutes of pleasure and avoid using protection. As several teens use the excuse that sex feels better with out a condom, an unwanted pregnancy is likely to occur.