Caffeine as a Teratogen
Teratogenetics: Caffeine as a teratogen
Chase Palmer
Fremont High School
Hansen p.4
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to identify the teratogenetic affects of caffeine in unborn children and breast feeding children. The following topics will be discussed: Risk of congenital anomalies, risk of spontaneous abortion, risk of low birth weight and preterm labor as well as, the critical period of the teratogen, short term and long term affects, and the changing danger of the teratogen relating to technological advances. The necessary dosage for teratogenetic impediment of the healthy development of unborn children, as well as the steps that can be taken to prevent this will also be included. Furthermore, and quite possibly most relevant to the topic of the teratogenetic effect of caffeine, is its ability to potentiate the teratogenetic effects of other substances.
Keywords: Coteratogen, critical period, threshold
I chose caffeine as my teratogen because it is considered the most widely used drug in the world. As the most widely used drug in the world I thought it would be interesting to see its teratogenetic affects on the children of mothers ingesting it while pregnant. The typical eight ounce cup of coffee contains 150 mg of caffeine. The average American consumes at least three times that much per day in one form or another. The critical period of caffeine as a teratogen depends on whether or not it acts alone or if it is a coteratogen with another substance. If it is a coteratogen then the critical period becomes that of the second teratogen. If it is acting alone then the most significant affects during gestation happen generally around the third trimester. This period is most closely related with the defect of Low Birth Weight in newborns. Also a non-significant trend was noted in the third trimester between increased caffeine consumption and preterm birth. The threshold for caffeine is relatively high and that is a main contributor to
Chase Palmer
Fremont High School
Hansen p.4
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to identify the teratogenetic affects of caffeine in unborn children and breast feeding children. The following topics will be discussed: Risk of congenital anomalies, risk of spontaneous abortion, risk of low birth weight and preterm labor as well as, the critical period of the teratogen, short term and long term affects, and the changing danger of the teratogen relating to technological advances. The necessary dosage for teratogenetic impediment of the healthy development of unborn children, as well as the steps that can be taken to prevent this will also be included. Furthermore, and quite possibly most relevant to the topic of the teratogenetic effect of caffeine, is its ability to potentiate the teratogenetic effects of other substances.
Keywords: Coteratogen, critical period, threshold
I chose caffeine as my teratogen because it is considered the most widely used drug in the world. As the most widely used drug in the world I thought it would be interesting to see its teratogenetic affects on the children of mothers ingesting it while pregnant. The typical eight ounce cup of coffee contains 150 mg of caffeine. The average American consumes at least three times that much per day in one form or another. The critical period of caffeine as a teratogen depends on whether or not it acts alone or if it is a coteratogen with another substance. If it is a coteratogen then the critical period becomes that of the second teratogen. If it is acting alone then the most significant affects during gestation happen generally around the third trimester. This period is most closely related with the defect of Low Birth Weight in newborns. Also a non-significant trend was noted in the third trimester between increased caffeine consumption and preterm birth. The threshold for caffeine is relatively high and that is a main contributor to