Question

An 18-year old high school teenager who did not know she was pregnant, gave birth to an approximately 30-week old fetus. The baby was delivered at 35% less than the normal birth weight at 30-weeks with birth defects including medical abnormalities of the liver, spleen, and lungs. The skin of the baby presented with purplish splotchy appearance. Due to the abnormalities of the lungs and other organs the baby was placed in an incubator in an ICU unit, while the mother was held over for extended observation. The baby suffered 3 bouts of Grand Mals seizures prior to death at 2.5 weeks old. Upon giving a medical history, the teenager admits to being sexually active throughout the term of her pregnancy with 3 different male sexual partners. She reports had a long 4 to 6 week bout of fever, sore salivary glands, and a sore throat during the pregnancy for which she never sought medical attention, and eventually dissipated on their own without the aid of antibiotics or other anti-inflammatory medications. The teenager did not take prenatal vitamin supplements, and admits to eating a less than well rounded diet consisting primarily of fast food. The teenager did not participate in illegal street drug use, but she admits to smoking and drinking during the pregnancy. She also participated in strenuous exercise routines as part of a sports training program associated with her school.

The chief resident looks over this case and the information provided by the teenager the next day and immediately orders general blood screens for herpes viruses to be conducted on the teenager before her release from the hospital. The test came back positive.

Question:

What class of toxicant could this be and Why? Describe 3 other specific examples of this class of toxicant and describe their modes of action and effects on pregnancy and fetal development?

Answer 1

Toxicant

A toxic substance introduced in to the environment and during pregnancy exposure to these toxic substances cause various defects to the fetus.

1)Alchohol

The alcohol in mother blood passes to the baby through umblical cord. Drinking alcohol cause miscarriage ,stillbirth,premature birth and various physical, behavior and intellectual disabilities .It will affect nervous system and brain development.

2)smoking

Cigarettes contain dangerous chemicals such as nicotine carbon monoxide and tar .It will increases the risk of pregnancy complications and some of them can be fatal for the mother and baby. Smoking it leads to problem with placenta or slow fetal development. Smoking will cause stillbirth, miscarriage, premature birth,low birth weight and birth defects.

3)Lead

Iead exposure cause miscarriage ,neurological delay, anaemia, and low birth weight. Neurological toxicity is observed in children of exposed women as a result of the ability of the lead to cross the placental barrier. Some of the bone lead accumulation is released in to the blood during pregnancy .

4)Air pollution

It negatively affect the pregnancy result in higher rates of preterm birth, growth restrictions, heart and lung problems in children. Compounds such as carbon monoxide,sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide all have potential to serious damage when inhaled by an expectant mother.

5)pesticides- It is very harmful during pregnancy .It will affect the health of the baby as well as mother .The result include premature baby, miscarriage and birth defect.

Herpes simplex infection

It is a common viral sexually transmitted disease .

There is a chance to transmit this condition to baby.It will cause various life threatening symptoms such as fatal organ damage, liver lugs and heart problems .