Behavioral and cognitive disorders, including difficulties with learning and memory, hyperactivity, and lowered stress tolerance have been linked to paternal alcohol ingestion. The compromised stress management skills of animals whose male parent was exposed to alcohol are similar to the exaggerated responses to stress that children with fetal alcohol syndrome display because of maternal alcohol use. These birth defects and behavioral disorders were found in cases of both long- and short-term paternal alcohol ingestion. In the same animal study, paternal alcohol exposure was correlated with a significant difference in organ size and the increased risk of the offspring displaying ventricular septal defects at birth. Toxic substances
Substances whose toxicity can cause congenital disorders are called teratogens, and include certain pharmaceutical and recreational drugs in pregnancy, as well as many environmental toxins in pregnancy.A review published in 2010 identified six main teratogenic mechanisms associated with medication use: folate antagonism, neural crest cell disruption, endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, vascular disruption, and specific receptor- or enzyme-mediated teratogenesis.An estimated 10% of all birth defects are caused by prenatal exposure to a teratogenic agent. These exposures include medication or drug exposures, maternal infections and diseases, and environmental and occupational exposures. Paternal smoking has also been linked to an increased risk of birth defects and childhood cancer for the offspring, where the paternal germline undergoes oxidative damage due to cigarette use. Teratogen-caused birth defects are potentially preventable. Nearly 50% of pregnant women have been exposed to at least one medication during gestation.
Congenital heart defects include patent ductus arteriosus, atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, and tetralogy of Fallot. Congenital anomalies of the nervous system include neural tube defects such as spina bifida, encephalocele, and anencephaly. Other congenital anomalies of the nervous system include the Arnold–Chiari malformation, the Dandy–Walker malformation, hydrocephalus, microencephaly, megalencephaly, lissencephaly, polymicrogyria, holoprosencephaly, and agenesis of the corpus callosum. Congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal system include numerous forms of stenosis and atresia, and perforation, such as gastroschisis. Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract include renal parenchyma, kidneys, and urinary collecting system.Defects can be bilateral or unilateral, and different defects often coexist in an individual child. Primarily metabolic
A congenital metabolic disease is also referred to as an inborn error of metabolism. Most of these are single-gene defects, usually heritable. Many affect the structure of body parts, but some simply affect the function. Other
Other well-defined genetic conditions may affect the production of hormones, receptors, structural proteins, and ion channels. Causes
Alcohol exposure
The mothers consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can cause a continuum of various permanent birth defects: craniofacial abnormalities, brain damage, intellectual disability, heart disease, kidney abnormality, skeletal anomalies, ocular abnormalities.The prevalence of children affected is estimated at least 1% in U.S. as well in Canada. Very few studies have investigated the links between paternal alcohol use and offspring health.However, recent animal research has shown a correlation between paternal alcohol exposure and decreased offspring birth weight.