Question

why is an understanding of embryology is important to identify the effect of potential teratogens on fetal development.

Answer 1

Teratogens are chemical or infectious agents which on exposure to the foetus can cause abnormality morphologically and physiologically which may leadto congenital problems. Teratology can be defined as the study of these abnormal development in an embryo from which the foetus develops. Embryo s are more susceptible to these agents and severe exposure leads to their death.inorder to understand the birth defects (teratology) and to find the reason for it, we need to know the embryonic development (both normal and abnormal )which is defined as embryology. So for understanding on what basis has the foetus being subjected to abnormalities, embryology should be known. It is important to find from what stage of embryonic development has the malformation started. So to sort this out one should know the stages of embryo development.