3.

External environmental effects on fetal development

Infants are not only affected directly by the environment into which they are born and
raised but can also be affected by environmental influences before birth. For example, antenatal
development can be influenced by alcohol, smoking, and illegal and (some) prescribed drugs.

Alcohol

Alcohol, for example, can quickly cross the placenta and enter the unborn child's bloodstream in
the same levels that it is in the mother's blood. Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy put
their child at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome. In 1991, researchers declared it to be the
leading cause of mental retardation in the US. FAS affects the development of the infant,
causing delay, deformities and learning difficulties. Pregnant women are now advised against
drinking alcohol altogether, as even a moderate amount can carry a risk to the infant
and judgement can become impaired by alcohol, leading to accidents.

Smoking

Smoking (tobacco as well as illegal substances) affects birth weight due to the release of nicotine
and other substances into the body. It can also lead to learning difficulties. There is a suggestion
that infants born to smokers are at a higher risk of being affected by sudden infant death
syndrome (also known as SIDS and cot death) and of developing respiratory conditions later
on. Passive smoking is thought to contribute to respiratory problems in infants and older children,
and also to glue ear.

Drugs

Any non-essential drug should be avoided during pregnancy. Illegal drugs, such as crack
cocaine, cause low birth weight and developmental delay, and babies who are born addicted
suffer withdrawal symptoms after birth and are in great distress. Many of these babies suffer all-
round developmental problems and some develop epilepsy. Prescribed drugs are only issued
to pregnant women with extreme care, as some have been known to cause deformity and
developmental problems. Most notoriously, the drug Thalidomide caused severe limb deformity
in some children born in the 1960s. The mothers of these children were prescribed the drug in
good faith to combat severe vomiting during pregnancy.