Developmental Toxicity: Stages, Anomalies, and Health Complications

This report provides a detailed analysis of developmental toxicity, focusing on the impact of environmental factors, chemicals, and drugs on fetal development. It explores how these factors can lead to functional or structural alterations, potentially causing irreversible developmental anomalies. The report discusses the critical role of time in determining the type of anomalies that may occur, referencing examples like thalidomide and its effects during specific gestational weeks. It also examines the changes that happen in different stages of embryonic development, and the origins of these changes that can lead to anomalies in the fetal structure. The report further outlines various health complications arising from developmental anomalies, including tissue disorders, limb disorders, heart and central nervous system related anomalies, and urinary tract deformities, supported by relevant references.

Running head: GENERAL TOXICITY
DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1GENERAL TOXICITY
Table of Contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................3
Development disorder and relation to time.........................................................................3
Changes occur in different gestational stages......................................................................4
Changes of these developmental anomalies in health complications..................................4
References............................................................................................................................6

2GENERAL TOXICITY
Introduction
Developmental toxicity is functional or structural alteration that interferes with the
development, differentiation, growth and homeostasis of the fetus or the embryo. This
developmental effect can be reversible or irreversible and can cause developmental alterations in
the offspring. Several factors can cause these alterations such as environmental factors, toxoids,
chemicals, drug and so on. This toxicity are divided in two groups namely in early pregnancy
and second while development of different organs of the fetus. Developmental complications in
early pregnancy lead to abortion whereas in the later stage it causes congenital defects of
structure and functions of the organs (Hood, 2016).
This assignment is going to talk about such developmental problems with focus on the
need of time for the symptoms to show. Further, the changes that occur in different stages of
embryonic development will be discussed. Finally, the stages of these changes to originate
anomalies in the structure of the fetus will be discussed.
Development disorder and relation to time
Toxicants that affect the fetus during prenatal stage can be of different types,
environmental, chemical or drug related. However, maximum of the developmental anomalies
are related to the environmental factors. Developmental disorders are mostly congenital related
and occurs during uterine development. The rate of such anomalies is very less and this is
because of the strong immune support from the mother. However, due to long-term and continual
exposure, the fetus comes into the contact of the teratogenic toxins that leads to alter the
physiological morphology of the fetus.

3GENERAL TOXICITY
As different chemicals have different toxicogenic effect on the development, hence the
time factor is important to determine the kind of anomalies the fetus is going to develop. It also
depends on the time in which the mother has ingested the drug or the chemical has acquired the
sensitivity window. For an example, the drug containing thalidomide is generally prescribed
during the 6th or 7th week of the gestation. Hence, the abnormalities related to that toxoid will
occur in that timeframe only (Williams, James & Roberts, 2000).
Changes occur in different gestational stages
 During 6th and 7th week, due to presence of thalidomide in mother’s blood, the
tissue of the fetus can be damaged. Teeth and eyes can also be damaged as these
are formed within 5th and 8th week.
 Drug isotretinion puts adverse effects on craniofacial deformities including
cardiac and central nervous system abnormalities.
 Reproductive development of the fetus occurs in the late phase of the gestational
phase and it occurs due to presence of anticoagulants, lithium and tetracycline.
 Another toxoid is Alcohol that leads to fetal alcohol syndrome. It hampers the
growth, both mental and physical and attention disorders. This syndrome can
occur due to minimal dose as well (Geoffroy et al., 2013).
Changes of these developmental anomalies in health complications
Different abnormalities that arise due to different teratogenic toxoids can cause a wide
range of disorders in the postnatal stage. Due to tissue related disorders, the infant can grow
dysplasia or deformation that is related to tissue development. On the other hand, Due to
malnutrition, or adverse effect of alcohol or smoking, the fetus can grow dysmelia, that is limb
disorder, congenital aplasia and so on. Other disorders include heart related disorder,

4GENERAL TOXICITY
gastrointestinal and central nervous system related anomalies and urinary tract deformities
(Williams, James & Roberts, 2000).

5GENERAL TOXICITY
References
Geoffroy, P. A., Etain, B., Scott, J., Henry, C., Jamain, S., Leboyer, M., & Bellivier, F. (2013).
Reconsideration of bipolar disorder as a developmental disorder: importance of the time
of onset. Journal of Physiology-Paris, 107(4), 278-285.
Hood, R. D. (Ed.). (2016). Developmental and reproductive toxicology: a practical approach.
CRC Press. https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=AmnvBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=developmental+toxicology+
&ots=707kY4iR9K&sig=V70P6iT0zSaeKTc3U4kqD0iYiKk#v=onepage&q=developme
ntal%20toxicology&f=false
Williams, P., James, R., & Roberts, S. (2000). Principles of Toxicology: Environmental and
Industrial Applications (2nd ed., pp. 209-228). New York: a Willey-interscience
Publication.