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Teratogenesis

  • Chapter
Mutation, Cancer, and Malformation

Part of the book series: Environmental Science Research ((ESRH,volume 31))

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Summary

Over 50% of human conceptions are lost spontaneously. The rate of malformations in the embryo is about 10% and in the newborn, 2–3%. About 70% of malformations are of unknown etiology; about 20% are inherited as Mendelian traits or are associated with chromosomal aneuploidy; about 10% are due to specific agents (chemicals, drugs or viruses).

There are a number of principles of teratology which help in the management of clinical and public health problems. The teratogenic susceptibility of experimental animals and humans is controlled in part by the stage of development at which the developing embryo or fetus is exposed to the agent. Examples in humans include Coumadin and androgennmasculinizing syndromes. Species variation exists in the response to teratogens and some controlling factors will be discussed. The dosage of the teratogen is related to the damage produced; in fact, almost any agent in high enough dose can be shown to be teratogenic in experimental animals, even sodium chloride and sucrose.

There are problems in the interpretation of epidemiologic studies in humans, as is illustrated by the example of birth control pills and caffeine.

Supported in part by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD00836).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Laboratory for Human Embryology and Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, 98195, USA

    Thomas H. Shepard (Professor of Pediatrics,Adjunct Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Affiliate Child Development and Mental Retardation Center and Regional Primate Center Adjunct Professor of Environmenal Health)

  2. University of Washington, USA

    Thomas H. Shepard (Professor of Pediatrics,Adjunct Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Affiliate Child Development and Mental Retardation Center and Regional Primate Center Adjunct Professor of Environmenal Health)

  3. School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, USA

    Thomas H. Shepard (Professor of Pediatrics,Adjunct Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Affiliate Child Development and Mental Retardation Center and Regional Primate Center Adjunct Professor of Environmenal Health)

Authors
  1. Thomas H. Shepard
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Harbor, Michigan, USA

    Ernest H. Y. Chu

  2. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennesse, USA

    Walderico M. Generoso

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© 1984 Plenum Press, New York

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Shepard, T.H. (1984). Teratogenesis. In: Chu, E.H.Y., Generoso, W.M. (eds) Mutation, Cancer, and Malformation. Environmental Science Research, vol 31. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2399-0_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2399-0_24

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9463-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-2399-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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