Teratogen Research Paper

During pregnancy, there are many hazardous agents that the mother should avoid in order to prevent a negative outcome on the fetus. These dangerous agents are known as teratogens and behavioral teratogens. A teratogen is an agent, which can cause a birth defect. Teratogens are usually something in the environment that the mother is exposed to during the pregnancy. On the other hand, a behavioral teratogen harms the prenatal brain, affecting the baby's intellectual and emotional functioning.
During the pregnancy, there are periods where the action of teratogens can be more or less severe. Teratogens can be especially damaging during the embryonic stage because it is the most critical period in the development of the future baby. Alcohol is