PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Polifka, Janine E.
AU  - Friedman, J.M.
TI  - Medical genetics: 1. Clinical teratology in the age of genomics
DP  - 2002 Aug 06
TA  - Canadian Medical Association Journal
PG  - 265--273
VI  - 167
IP  - 3
4099  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/167/3/265.short
4100  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/167/3/265.full
SO  - CMAJ2002 Aug 06; 167
AB  - Teratogenic exposures are those that can cause an embryo or fetus to develop abnormally. Several factors determine whether an agent is teratogenic, including the gestational timing of the exposure, as well as the dose, route and nature of the agent itself. We review the general concepts of teratogenesis, as well as known genetic susceptibilities to teratogenic effects, with a special focus on antiepileptic drugs. We discuss general principles of risk counselling and risk reduction, and we describe several long-known teratogens, as well as several exposures recognized only recently to have teratogenic potential.