Frequently asked questions
Reprotoxicity: the effect of chemicals on the reproductive system

What are the most obvious examples of teratogenic substances?

Here are a few examples of teratogenic chemicals.

• Thalidomide : Thalidomide is a drug used during the 1950s and 1960s as a sedative and anti-nauseant, particularly in pregnant women. It caused malformations of the upper and lower limbs.

• Methylmercury: As early as 1932, the Chisso plant discharged heavy metals into Minamata Bay, including 27 tonnes of methylmercury over 37 years. As a result of fish consumption, nearly 900 people died between 1949 and 1965. More than 12,000 people suffered severe neurological disorders. Mothers with no symptoms at all gave birth to children with severe congenital malformations of varying severity, microcephaly, various or multiple handicaps, or stillbirths...

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