Teratogenic sensitive period

The country now encourages eugenics, hoping to minimize the occurrence of deformed fetuses. The birth of a deformed fetus not only brings great pressure to the child's future, but also puts a burden on the parents. Therefore, pregnant women need to pay special attention in the early stages of pregnancy. Especially during the teratogenic sensitive period, if there is a problem during this period, it is very easy to cause fetal malformations. So, what exactly is the teratogenic sensitive period?

1. What is the teratogenic sensitive period?

It is currently believed that the period within 15 days of conception, that is, before the expected menstruation, belongs to the pre-embryonic period. During this period, the impact of external factors on the embryo is all or nothing, and will not cause fetal malformations. From the 30th day of pregnancy to three months, the embryo is in a sensitive period of teratogenicity and is easily affected by external factors, leading to fetal malformations. After three months, the fetus is larger and has a certain degree of resistance, so it is less likely to cause deformities.

2. Fetal development during the teratogenic sensitive period

The teratogenic sensitive period refers to the embryonic development stage that is most sensitive to teratogenic effects, namely the organogenesis period. During this period, embryonic cells migrate and combine to form organ primordia, which are most sensitive to teratogenic effects. The teratogenic sensitive period of human embryos begins on the 18th to 20th day after conception, peaks around the 30th day, and the sensitivity decreases rapidly after the 55th to 60th day. In the third week, the pear-shaped three-germ layer embryonic disc, neural plate and neural folds appear, somites begin to appear, and the longest length of the embryo is 0.5-1.5MM. In the fifth week, the embryo bends toward the ventral side, with 5 pairs of branchial arches, limb buds appearing, obvious palms, 30-40 pairs of segments, and a crown-rump length of 4-8MM. In the eighth week, the fingers and toes are distinct, segmented, eyelids appear, the urogenital membrane and anal membrane rupture successively, the vulva is visible, gender is not distinguished, umbilical hernia is obvious, and the crown-rump length is 19-35MM.

3. Teratogenic factors during the teratogenic sensitive period

1. Infectious diseases

Influenza: In the early stages of pregnancy, mothers are most afraid of and most likely to catch a cold.

Viral infection: Among them, the rubella virus is the most harmful. Pregnant women infected with rubella will have a low fever and rash, but because the symptoms are mild, they are often not taken seriously.

2. Medication

The advice is that you must be cautious when taking medication during the first three months of pregnancy, and you can ask your doctor whether you can stop taking the medication. If you must take medication, you need to tell your doctor whether you are pregnant. Under the guidance of a doctor, choose medicines that are highly effective and harmless to the fetus.

3. Radiation

It is well known that long-term exposure of X-rays to the human body can cause cancer and gene mutations. It also has adverse effects on embryonic development. And the earlier the pregnancy, the greater the impact. Avoid X-rays or treatments during early pregnancy. If you know you are pregnant, you should tell your doctor when you see a doctor.

4. Mom’s Mood

In addition, the mother’s mood also has a great impact on the fetus. If the mother is happy, the baby can sense it! I hope all mothers can go through pregnancy safely and give birth to a healthy baby.