Developmental toxicity and programming alterations of multiple organs in offspring induced by medication during...

Area of Science:

• Developmental Toxicology
• Reproductive Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Medication use during pregnancy is common, yet fetal safety data remains limited.
• Prenatal drug exposure can impact fetal development via multiple pathways, organs, and targets.
• Mechanisms include direct effects (oxidative stress, epigenetics) and indirect effects (placental dysfunction).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the latest research on developmental toxicity and functional programming alterations in offspring due to medication during pregnancy.
• To provide a theoretical and experimental basis for safe medication practices during pregnancy.
• To inform the prevention and treatment of drug-related diseases originating in the fetus.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent studies on prenatal drug exposure and offspring development.
• Analysis of direct and indirect mechanisms of drug-induced developmental toxicity.
• Inclusion of recent laboratory findings on organ developmental toxicity and programming alterations.

Main Results:

• Prenatal medication exposure can lead to multi-organ developmental programming and functional homeostasis changes in offspring.
• Exposure may alter susceptibility to diseases later in life, potentially influenced by maternal glucocorticoid levels.
• Developmental toxicity and programming alterations may exhibit gender differences and multi-generational effects via epigenetic modifications.

Conclusions:

• Medication during pregnancy poses risks for fetal development, affecting multiple organs and potentially leading to long-term health consequences.
• Understanding the mechanisms of developmental toxicity is crucial for rational drug use during pregnancy.
• Further research is needed to effectively prevent and treat drug-related fetal diseases.