Teratogens primarily pose risk to which aspect of development?

• A. Fetal development
• B. Birth defects
• C. Skin cells
• D. Blood type

Answer: (B)

Teratogens are agents that disturb the development of an embryo or fetus when exposure occurs during pregnancy. The most direct and defining risk they create is birth defects—congenital anomalies that are present at birth. This happens because teratogens can interfere with the normal formation of organs and structures during key windows of development, especially in early pregnancy when organogenesis is occurring. While they can affect overall fetal growth as well, the hallmark concern with teratogens is the emergence of structural or functional defects at birth. It’s not about skin cells or blood type, which aren’t the primary outcomes linked to teratogenic exposure.