A teratogen is any medication, chemical, infectious disease, or environmental agent that might interfere with the normal development of a fetus and result in the loss of a pregnancy, a birth defect, or a pregnancy complication.
There are a variety of teratogens that are relatively common. Some examples are listed, but there are other teratogens which are not on this list.
- Social Drugs: alcohol, cocaine, cigarettes
- Medications: Seizure medications (such as Dilantin, Valproic Acid, Tegretol), Accutane, thalidomide, chemotherapy, lithium
- Environmental Agents: organic solvents, chemicals, lead, anesthetic gases, organic mercury
- Infectious Diseases: rubella, cytomegalovirus, genital herpes, toxoplasmosis, Fifth's disease, chicken pox (varicella)
- Other: diabetes, radiation, hyperthermia (high fever)
If you have had exposure to a medication or chemical during your pregnancy, including some of those listed above, you may want to get additional information on the possible effects on your pregnancy. You can contact the Illinois Teratogen Service or your own state teratogen service for additional information.