PSYC 3533 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Pituitary Gland, Gie, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

• School: Memorial University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 3533
• Professor: adambrown

Document Summary

4- 5% of live births have some defect or anomaly. Can occur from substances (teratogens) or viruses that pass through the placental barrier. Can also be genetic (ex. , pku) or chromosomal (ex. , down syndrome) Can also be causes by other factors such as obesity of the mother. Various drugs and medications can cause known birth defects: certain ones can cross the placental barrier and affect the fetus. Drugs that can produce defects in a fetus are called teratogens: alcohol is one of these drugs that has been widely researched. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder = all outcomes associated with any amount of alcohol exposure during pregnancy. Fas causes serious growth deficiency and malformation: small brain, small eye openings, joint, limb and heart malformations, cognitive impairments. Increasing literature that drugs can affect sperm by damaging them and their genetic material: so maternal drug use may not be the only concern, other chemicals are also known mutagens to sperm.