Fetotoxicity

Chemical safety and worker health should not be ignored. This is particularly important wherever pregnant women are working in different chemical industries. Many chemicals are known to cause adverse effects to both working women (mothers) and the growing fetus (Table 16-6). Knowledge of chemicals and their adverse effects should provide guidelines to protect the health and safety of these workers. 

TABLE 16-6 Adverse Effects of Drugs During Pregnancy 

Antibacterials (streptomycin, Deposition in bones, discoloration of teeth, 

Magnesium sulfate Central depression, neuromuscular block 

Several studies indicate that different methods cause adverse effects to embryonic and fetal tissues and eventually lead to the development of teratogenic effects. Metals are omnipresent in the living environment. A variety of anthropogenic activities (e.g., smelting metallic ore, industrial and metal fabrication, commercial application, burning of fossil fuels) have caused adverse effects to the developing fetus. In fact, notorious elements, such as cadmium, lead, and mercury, have been associated with injury and malformation to the growing embryo and fetus of animals and humans.65 

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Embryotoxicity and Fetotoxicity—Any toxic effect on the conceptus as a result of prenatal exposure to a chemical the distinguishing feature between the two terms is the stage of development during which the insult occurs. The terms, as used here, include malformations and variations, altered growth, and in utero death. 

Zn/kg ration for 18 days Fetotoxic dose, poor reproduction. 8, 2... 

No teratogenic or fetotoxic effects. Females in third generation fed highest dose had reduced growth... 

Chernoff, N., R.E. Linder, T.M. Scotti, E.H. Rogers, B.D. Carver, and R. Kavlock. 1979. Fetotoxicity and cataractogenicity of mirex in rats and mice with notes on kepone. Environ. Res. 18 257-269. 

Kavlock, R.J., N. Chernoff, E. Rogers, D. Whitehouse, B. Carver, J. Gray, and K. Robinson. 1982. An analysis of fetotoxicity using biochemical endpoints of organ differentiation. Teratology 26 183-194. 

McNulty, W.P. 1985. Toxicity and fetotoxicity of TCDD, TCDF, and PCB isomers in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatto). Environ. Health Perspec. 60 77-88. 

Air concentrations of 28.5 mg/m3 for 4 h daily on days 9-12 of gestation caused fetotoxic effects and chromosomal damage to liver cells by day 18 effects included reduced survival, impaired growth, retarded limb ossification, and bone abnormalities. At 2.9 mg/m3, a 9.9% decrease in fetal weight was recorded at 0.26 mg/m3, a 3.1% decrease was measured Oral dosages of 400-600 mg/kg BW on days 7-16 of gestation produces fetal malformations (cleft palate), delayed skeletal ossification, and fetal weight reduction 200-600 mg/kg BW daily for 10 days (DMA) produced fetal and maternal toxicity... 

Nagymajtenyi, L., A. Selypes, and G. Berencsi. 1985. Chromosomal aberrations and fetotoxic effects of atmospheric arsenic exposure in mice. Jour. Appl. Toxicol. 5 61-63. 

Stoltenburg-Didinger G, Altenkirch H, Wagner M. 1990. Neurotoxicity of organic solvent mixtures Embryotoxicity and fetotoxicity. Neurotoxicol Teratol 12 585-589. 

Minsker, D., Bagdon, W., MacDonald, J., Robertson, R. and Bokelman, D. (1990). Matemo-toxicity and fetotoxicity of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, enalapril, in rabbits. Fund. Appl. Toxicol. 14 461-479. 

ChemoffN, Kavlock RJ, Hanisch RC, et al. 1979a. Perinatal toxicity of endrin in rodents. I. Fetotoxic effects of prenatal exposure in hamsters. Toxicology 13 155-165. 

Developmental Effects. No studies were located regarding developmental effects in humans after any route of exposure and in animals after inhalation and dermal exposure. However, studies in rats (Singh 1981) and hamsters (Frakes et al. 1986a) fed a cassava diet suggested that cyanide may have teratogenic and fetotoxic effects at maternally toxic doses, but Singh (1981) indicated that the results... 

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