Question

Jamie's child has facial deformities, a smaller than normal head, heart defects, learning difficulties, and delayed growth. If these defects can be traced to a teratogen used by Jamie when she was pregnant, which was she most likely abusing?

Answer 1

Alcohol

Step-by-step explanation:

A teratogen is a substance that causes defect on the embryo. Alcohol as a teratogen is able to pass from a mother who drinks through the placenta to the embryo. Alcohol can damage the growth of cells of the baby most especially the spinal cord cells and the brain cells.

The destruction or damage to the brain cells can lead to mental and physical problems as the child grows. Some distinct features of the effect of maternal alcoholism on children is small head, narrow opening of the eyes, flattened face, learning disabilities, stunted growth and other birth defects.

It is advised that pregnant women should abstain from alcohol.

Therefore, Jamie most likely abused alcohol while pregnant

Answer 2

ALCOHOL.

Step-by-step explanation:

A teratogen is any agent that causes abnormalities when a developing baby is exposed to it during the mother's pregnancy. They include toxic chemicals, radiation, viruses, alcohol, smoking, certain prescription drugs and other agents.

Exposed of a fetus to alcohol (especially a lot or over a long period of the pregnancy) causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) or fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Fetal alcohol syndrome is marked by a pattern of birth defects including: Small head and body size, specific abnormal facial features, learning and behavioral problems.

Since Jamie's child's abnormalities can be traced to teratogen, therefore, the teratogen agent she was most likely abusing was ALCOHOL.