About Teratogen in Drug Birth Defects

How do Teratogenic Drugs cause Birth Defects?

Teratogenic drugs cause birth defects by damaging the fetus or placenta or umbilical cord; or by causing uterine contractions.

Teratogenic drugs can cause birth defects by-

• Damaging the fetus directly
• Damaging the placenta or umbilical cord, thus increasing the risk of birth defects
• Causing uterine contractions that can injure the fetus or cause premature delivery

The kind, nature and frequency of birth defects caused by a teratogen depends on-

• The property of the drug
• Rate and amount of drug reaching the fetus
• Duration of exposure
• Stage of the fetal development at the time of exposure
• Effect of other drugs used in combination