Significance of Postnatal Manifestations of Prenatally-Induced Effects (Behaviour)

Abstract

Guidelines for reproductive toxicity testing in several countries have requested or even required behavioural tests on the offspring for many years. This seems warranted by the assumption that serious problems during human development may arise not only from gross morphological abnormalities but even more so from subtle changes that are not as readily detectable at birth. Detecting the potential for developmental neurotoxicity of a substance in animal experiments, therefore, could prevent widespread exposure of pregnant women, and thereby minimize or eliminate the hazard to the growing and developing child.