What are teratogenic causes of birth defects?

Answer 1

Are you referring to pharmaceutical drugs or illegal drugs. Prozac is known to have some negative effects on future mothers. Prozac® has been linked to birth defects, including persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN). PPHN is a serious potentially life-threatening condition that occurs in babies soon after birth. The lungs of these infants have not assumed the function of oxygenating the blood once they are born. When in the mother, the fetus' oxygenated blood supply comes from the mother, via the umbilical cord that leads from the placenta. The lungs of the fetus have no immediate function and are just awaiting birth to start working.

Answer 2

Only a few drugs are known to cause birth defects but all have the potential to cause harm. One of these types are the SSRI antidepressant drugs.

If you are pregnant, taking SSRIs can also cause your unborn baby to suffer adverse side effects. Studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2006 and 2007 found that SSRI use during pregnancy doubles a child's risk of being born with omphalocele defects (i.e., with his intestines protruding from his belly button), and septal defects-congenital heart defects that cause the heart to work harder because of poor blood circulation. More recently, research conducted in the United States and abroad has suggested that pregnant women's SSRI use might increase the incidence of infants being born with brain development issues and reduced head size.

This type of drugs triggered a lot of birth defect lawsuits filed against SSRI drug manufacturers.

See the related links for further information.

Answer 3

Different kinds of drugs can cause birth defects including (but not limited to); Topamax, Depakote, Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac.

Answer 4

Smoking, Alcoholism, taking abortive drugs, exposure to radiation and taking ellicit drugs.