Prenatal Development: Environmental Factors (III)

Drugs Taken by the Parents

1. Thalidomide

• In the 1960s, it was used to treat insomnia and nausea.
• Now, it is used to treat disorders as various as dermatological problems and Kaposi's sarcoma.
• Effects: babies with missing or stunted limbs will be born

2. Antibiotics

• Tetracycline is usually prescribed for bacterial infections.
• Effects: babies with yellowed teeth and bone abnormalities.

3. Hormones

• DES (diethylstilbestrol), an estrogen for preventing miscarriage.
• Effects:
• Cervical and testicular cancer in some of the offsprings
• Daughters of DES users are likely to have
• babies who are premature or low in birth weight
• infertility and immune system disorders

4. Vitamins

• High doses of Vitamin A and D have been linked to cause:
• heart defects
• central nervous system damage
• small head size

5. Heroin & Methadone

• Addiction to heroin or methadone is linked to:
• low birth weight
• premature
• toxemia
• Addicted newborns may also have behavioral effects like delay in:
• motor development
• language development

6. Marijuana (Cannabis)

• Smoking marijuana during pregnancy causes:
• slower fetal growth
• low birth weight
• immature development of nervous system
• Maternal prenatal use of marijuana impairs a child's cognitive, include increased in:
• hyperactivity
• impulsivity
• problem in paying attention
• delinquency
• aggressive behavior

7. Cocaine

• Prenatal exposure to cocaine increases the risk of:
• stillbirth
• low birth weight
• birth defects
• 6-year old boys whose mothers used cocaine regularly were likely to be rated as:
• hyperactive
• indifferent to their environment
• having deficits in cognitive skills

8. Alcohol

• Children of heavy drinkers may develop FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome). 
• FAS babies often have smaller bodies and brains. Their distinct features are:
• widely spaced eyes
• underdeveloped upper jaw
• flattened nose
• Some of the brain dysfunctions are:
• mental retardation
• hyperactivity
• distractibility
• lessened verbal fluency
• learning disabilities
• Children of moderate drinkers may develop FAE (fetal alcohol effect), which expose them to the risk of:
• delay in growth
• miscarriage

9. Caffeine

• There have been inconsistency findings of caffeine's effects on fetus. Some suggested that a heavy caffeine intake may increase the chance to have a:
• miscarriage
• low-birth-weight baby

10. Cigarettes

• Nicotine and carbon monoxide can pass through the placenta and reach the fetus.
• Nicotine stimulates the fetus.
• Carbon monoxide reduces the oxygen level in the fetus.
• Oxygen deprivation is linked to cognitive and behavioral problems, including impaired motor development.
• Cognitive defects include:
• mental retardation
• learning disabilities
• academic delays
• Women who smoke are more likely deliver smaller babies and these babies are likely to:
• be stillborn
• die soon after birth

Reference:
Rathus, S. A. (2008). Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.