There are many potential hazards to prenatal development. Many of these harmful agents are a direct result of drug and alcohol use. However, there are many other factors that can cause detrimental effects to a child during prenatal stages. These factors cam include maternal diseases and environmental problems. Prenatal care is especially important as it can reduce the risk greatly of encountering any problems and result in a happy healthy baby. The use of teratogens should be avoided as they can negatively affect the child during the prenatal stages.
For a pregnant woman, drug and alcohol abuse is very dangerous. First, drugs and alcohol may harm her own health, interfering with her ability to support the pregnancy. Second, some drugs can directly impair prenatal development. Virtually all illegal drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, pose dangers. Legal substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, are also dangerous, and even medical drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, can be harmful. At the prenatal stage, certain drugs and alcohol may damage organs that are still developing, such as the eyes, as well as the nervous system. Drug and alcohol use also increases the risk of miscarriage and premature delivery. The greatest danger drugs and alcohol pose at this stage is their potential to interfere with normal growth. Alcohol breaks down chemically to a cell-damaging compound that is absorbed by the fetus. Drinking during early pregnancy greatly increases the risk of birth defects known as fetal alcohol syndrome. While pregnant, women should avoid the use of all drugs and alcohol to prevent damage to themselves and the child. Radiation, chemicals and other hazards in the environment can endanger the fetus. Chromosomal abnormalities are higher among the offspring of fathers exposed to high levels of radiation. Environmental pollutants and toxic wastes are also sources of danger to prenatal development. The dangerous pollutants can include carbon monoxide, mercury and lead. Cats are common carriers of toxoplasmosis, especially outdoor cats that eat raw meat and mother may pick up the virus through the cat litter box. Toxoplasmosis is a mild infection that causes cold-like symptoms or no apparent illness in adults, but can cause eye defects, brain defects and premature birth in the fetus. Maternal diseases and infections can produce defects by crossing the placental barrier. Maternal diseases and disorders that can affect prenatal development include Rh factor incompatibility, high blood pressure, diabetes, rubella, and sexually transmitted diseases such as toxoplasmosis, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, genital herpes, and AIDS. The effects of maternal diseases rely on the stage of fetal development during which they are contracted, and the length of time that they last.
Teratogens are the broad range of substances (such as drugs and pollutants) and conditions (such as severe malnutrition and extreme stress) that increase the risk of prenatal abnormalities. Abnormalities include physical problems (such as missing limbs) and impairments such as brain damage that first appears in elementary school. Specific teratogens may damage the body structures, the growth rate, the neurological networks, or all three. Development can be compromised and the effects of that impairment last a lifetime. Prenatal care is extremely essential for a healthy baby. One can see an obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) for prenatal care, or a family practice doctor, a certified-nurse midwife or other health professional. It helps you and your health provider monitor how your pregnancy is going. It also helps spot any potential health problems before they become serious. Regular prenatal care helps to better manage any health issues that may come up.
No comments:
Post a Comment