Essay On Teratogen Exposure

Improved Essays
Show More
Teratogen exposure is an agent that causes any abnormalities following fetal exposure during the pregnancy. Teratogens can be discovered after an increase of prevalence a particular birth defect like alcohol. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a group of abnormalities in babies born to a mother who consumes alcohol during their pregnancy. It’s the most common non-genetic cause of mental retardation in the United States. Over half of babies born today are born with fetal alcohol syndrome and even more born with alcohol related neurodevelopmental disorder. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a characteristic group of defects that include the following a small head and brain, facial abnormalities, and defects of other organs. Infants with fetal alcohol syndrome also tend to have neurodevelopmental abnormalities such as impaired motor skills, abnormal walking, hearing loss, and poor eye-hand …show more content…
Alcohol is simply broken down more slowly in the body of a fetus unlike in an adult’s body. This causes the alcohol levels to remain high and stay high in the baby’s body longer than that of an adults. Fetal alcohol syndrome usually occurs in babies who are born to an alcoholic mother, or those who drink regularly or at times simply binge drink. However, no amount of alcohol consumed is safe for you or your baby. Even though you may think one sip won’t hurt, light or moderate drinking can affect the development of the fetus.

Alcohol use during pregnancy has significant effects on the fetus and the baby. Dependence and addiction to alcohol in the mother can also cause the fetus to become addicted at birth. A baby at birth depends on alcohol, the baby may being to convulse when born. But since alcohol is no longer available, the baby’s central nervous system becomes overstimulated which leads to symptoms of withdrawal. Alcohol withdrawals varies after birth a baby

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Alcohol Use During Pregnancy Essay
    • 1909 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Alcohol Use During Pregnancy Essay

    Any alcohol consumption in the first trimester can increase the risk of spontaneous abortion (1). Preterm labor and decreased milk production are also results of alcohol use in pregnant women (1). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders reflect around the way in which alcohol affects the central nervous system development (2). Many deformities and abnormalities consist of the facial features such as a flat nasal bridge, smooth or indistinct philtrum, thinned upper-lip, and flattened cheeks (2). Other criteria include low-set or mildly malformed ears, and small eye openings (5).…

    • 1909 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Five Life Factors
    • 1781 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Five Life Factors

    Physically, if Stephens’s mother had consumed alcohol this could have leaded Stephen to have serious health conditions, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). It's called a spectrum because the problems can range from mild learning difficulties, through to birth defects. Heavy drinking can also cause problems with pregnancy, such as miscarriage and premature birth (BMA 2007: 2; 9). Too much alcohol can even increase the risk of Stephen being stillborn (RCOG 2006a). They can have short term effects such as low birth weight.…

    • 1781 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Parrens Patriae Case Study
    • 1024 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Parrens Patriae Case Study

    Define “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a medical condition found in newborns that are exposed to alcohol during the pregnancy of their mothers. The disorder happens as a result of the mother’s heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Effects cause children to suffer from severe brain damage and growth problems.…

    • 1024 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Research Paper
    • 1578 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Research Paper

    If the woman consumes alcohol without knowing she is pregnant still causes damage to the fetus. The consumption of alcohol during the first to third trimester causes an excessive amount of damage to the fetus. As the fetus begins to develop the first two main organs to generate are the heart and the brain. Since the brain is the most sensible organ in the entire human body alcohol can cause a severe amount damage to the fetus's brain. This causes babies to be born with several symptoms.…

    • 1578 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Research Paper
    • 1387 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Research Paper

    However, many times mothers drink in their first few weeks of pregnancy when she does not even know she is pregnant. If this is the case, it can be very unfortunate that fetal alcohol syndrome occurs, but one of the best pieces of advice to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome is for the mother to adapt to healthy lifestyles even before she is pregnant. When a woman is attempting to get pregnant, it is best for her to stop drinking while trying just for preventative measures. In a study done in mice, however, it was found that alcohol consumption in a male prior to conception could also lead to abnormal development of organs or the brain in the fetus.13 This is lead to believe that alcohol could affect the genes in the sperm that lead to normal development in the fetus.…

    • 1387 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Research Paper
    • 553 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Research Paper

    Most of you will not feed your child alcohol, so why feed it to your child when your child is in your womb eating and drinking everything you eat and drink? When a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, her child may end up having mental and physical deficiencies. Many pregnant women who do drink alcohol. Its estimated that each year in U.S., 1 in every 750 infants is born with physical, developmental, and functional problems, while 40,000 are born with fetal alcohol effects.…

    • 553 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Substance Abuse While Pregnant
    • 1239 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Substance Abuse While Pregnant

    Liquor can go from the mother's blood into the child's blood. It can harm and influence the development of the child's cells. Cerebrum and spinal line cells are known to be the most affected. The term fetal liquor range issue (FASD) depicts the scope of liquor impacts on an infant. The issues extend from minuscule to extreme.…

    • 1239 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Drug Abuse Among Native Americans
    • 1565 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Drug Abuse Among Native Americans

    Alcoholism not only impacts adults but also children in the form of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAE). A piece of the puzzle against fighting and defeating alcohol is doctoring the people who are suffering from, affected by, and at a high risk of the disease of…

    • 1565 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Effects Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
    • 1756 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Effects Of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the leading known preventable cause of developmental and physical birth defects. If a mother drinks alcohol during her pregnancy her fetus is at risk of mental and physical deformations (WebMD, 2000). As previously stated, each year it is estimated…

    • 1756 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay
    • 690 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay

    Research has indicated that there are a number of areas affected by the presence of alcohol, all serving developmental purposes. For example, a study by Dörrie and colleagues5 has concluded that the presence of alcohol can lead to various somatic structural abnormalities in the cerebrum and cerebellum. Dörrie and colleagues goes on to say, “At the functional level, cognition, motor coordination, attention, language development, executive functions, memory, social perception and emotion processing are impaired to a variable extent.”5(863) According to the research multiple areas of the fetus are affected by the presence of alcohol. Looking ahead to the fetus’ maturation into a child, having deficiencies in some, if not all, of these areas would…

    • 690 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Fetal Alcohol Disorder In Native American Indians
    • 918 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Fetal Alcohol Disorder In Native American Indians

    This means the fetus is being exposed to high levels of alcohol where it does not have the ability to filter it out. Also, it has been shown that the amniotic fluid can act like a reservoir for the alcohol, giving the fetus prolonged exposure (Huether, McCance,…

    • 918 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Drinking Age Research Paper
    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Drinking Age Research Paper

    Alcohol has negative effects on the still developing body and brain. After the research they concluded,”Drinking alcohol during this period of rapid growth and development…

    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay
    • 1285 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Essay

    From the moment the baby is conceived, until it is born it is affected by what the mother does. You get high your baby gets high. You drink your baby drinks. Excessive exposure to alcohol during pregnancy can inflict serious, permanent physical and mental damage on your child. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is one of the nations top concerns in unborn infants.…

    • 1285 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Lev Vygotsky And Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
    • 1570 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Lev Vygotsky And Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

    Extreme alcohol consumption during pregnancy results in a child being born with a condition called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). The alcohol consumed by the expectant mother is considered a teratogen, which is any substance that can impair cognitive and behavioral outcomes (Santrock, 2013, p. 69). Symptoms of FAS vary but include birth defects, decreased growth, learning, and behavioral issues just to name a few (“Alcohol Effects on a Fetus-Topic Overview,” 2015, para. 3). The impact alcohol has on the fetus in utero lasts a lifetime for a child diagnosed with FAS. Society today places a high value on education and goal achievement, and a child entering first grade has so much to learn.…

    • 1570 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Informative Essay On Alcohol
    • 805 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Informative Essay On Alcohol

    It is also not a good idea to drink while pregnant. The unborn baby can be affected by the alcohol and this can lead to lifelong problems. “One of the most serious consequences of drinking during pregnancy is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a group of incurable and lasting problems for the child that can include mental retardation, vision and hearing problems, and physical birth defects.” (Gale, 2015). Drinking a lot causes intoxication with symptoms which include slurred speech, impaired balance, and not normal behavior.…

    • 805 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings