Environmental Threats During The Prenatal And Neonatal Stages Of Development

Often times while watching television or listening to the radio, a company will advertisement a product. Whether the product be an engaging toy, an effective cleaning chemical, or a new wonder drug, at the very end of the advertisement there is most always a disclaimer. “This toy is not safe for children under three years old” and “do not use this product if you are pregnant or breastfeeding” are among the more popular sayings. The reason for the latter disclaimer is likely due to the advertised product posing an environmental threat to a baby during both the prenatal and neonatal stages of development. The following research paper will address those certain environmental threats: What they are, where they come from, …show more content…
These threats all effect the development of a baby’s immune system during both the prenatal and neonatal stages of development (Wigle, 2003). Ultraviolet light and ionizing radiation are both types of radiation (EPA, n.d.). Exposure mainly comes from black lights, tanning beds and x-rays. (EPA, n.d.). TCDD is a by-product of the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, wood and chlorinates organic chemicals. Exposure mainly comes from meat, dairy products and fish (EPA, n.d.).When babies are exposed, these environmental threats can interfere with hematopoietic cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, expansion of lineage-committed stem cells, colonization of postnatal lymphopoietic compartments, cell-to-cell interactions, and maturation of immune-competence. Also, if babies are exposed to ionizing radiation between 10-17 gestational weeks, the threat can cause microcephaly (Etzel & Balk, 2003). When scientists tested these environmental threats on rodents, the animals had an increased risk of hypersensitivity and autoimmune diseases (Wigle, 2003). There is little evidence that proves these environmental threats effect humans in the same way (Wigle,