BACKGROUND Pregnant women with a mechanical heart valve (MHV) are at a heightened risk of a thrombotic event, and their absolute need for adequate anticoagulation puts them at considerable risk of bleeding and, with some anticoagulants, fetotoxicity. METHODS AND RESULTS Within the prospective, observational, contemporary, worldwide Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac disease (ROPAC), we describ...

The potential maternal, embryotoxic, and teratogenic parameters of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) were evaluated in Fischer 344 rats following oral administration in corn oil on Days 6 through 15 of gestation. Dose levels were 0, 200, 375, and 750 mg/kg/day. Females were sacrificed on Gestation Day 20 and cesarean sections performed. The fetuses were weighed, sexed, measured for crown-rump length...

association of waterborne chloroform in drinking water with low birth weight, prematurity, and intrauterine growth retardation (2). Animal studies have found possible relationships between oral exposure to various trihalomethanes and fetotoxicity and sperm abnormalities (3,4). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published the Stage 1 Disinfectants–Disinfection By-products Rule to...

INTRODUCTION Chinese herbal medicine is an increasingly popular worldwide medical therapy which also has an impact in pregnancy. However, the question of its drug safety during pregnancy remains unresolved. Potential problems include teratogenicity, abortion, perinatal toxicity, pre- and postnatal developmental abnormalities, and eventually an increased risk for carcinomas in the offspring. Sta...

In summary, the toxicity of TCDD has been comprehensively examined in multiple acute, subchronic, and chronic studies. Acute toxicity studies have shown marked species differences, with up to a 10,000-fold difference between the single oral LD50 dose for the guinea pig and hamster. TCDD is capable of causing an acnegenic response in man and a similar skin response in certain animals. It is also...

There have been reports of chemical attacks in which sulfur mustard might have been used (a) on Iranian soldiers and civilians during the Gulf War in 1984 and 1985 and (b) in an Iraqi chemical attack on the Iranian-occupied village of Halbja in 1988, resulting in many civilian casualties. Heavy use of chemical warfare in Afghanistan by the Soviet military is a recent innovation in military tact...

n-Butyl Alcohol is a primary aliphatic alcohol historically used as a solvent in nail care cosmetic products, but new concentration of use data indicate that it also is being used at low concentrations in eye makeup, personal hygiene, and shaving cosmetic products. n-Butyl Alcohol has been generally recognized as safe for use as a flavoring substance in food and appears on the 1982 Food and Dru...

Hydroquinone (HQ) is a high-volume commodity chemical used as a reducing agent, antioxidant, polymerization inhibitor, and chemical intermediate. It is also used in over-the-counter (OTC) drugs as an ingredient in skin lighteners and is a natural ingredient in many plant-derived products, including vegetables, fruits, grains, coffee, tea, beer, and wine. While there are few reports of adverse h...

Manganese (Mn) is a required trace element for growth and reproduction with Mn deficient diets resulting in growth retardation, skeletal and joint cartilage abnormalities, fetotoxicity, testicular degeneration, diabetes and vestibular dysfunction. Mn requirements range from 30-100 ppm in the diet for various species. Man ingests 2.3-7 mg Mn/day. Calculated absorbed doses of Mn for man range fro...

Toluene (methylbenzene) is an aromatic hydrocarbon widely used as an organic solvent in both industrial settings and common household products such as gasoline, glue and paint. (U.S. Public Health Service, ’89; Verschueren, ’77). Inhalation of air-borne toluene as a vapor is the most common route of human exposure. Approximately 80% of an initial inhaled dose is absorbed with decreasing absorpt...