NR283-Week 3 Concept Process Assignment: Emphysema & Oxygenation
Teratogenic agents are a source in the environment that a mother may be exposed to during pregnancy, which can cause a birth defect. Approximately 4 to
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NR283-Week 3 Concept Process Assignment: Emphysema & Oxygenation
Teratogenic agents are a source in the environment that a mother may be exposed to during pregnancy, which can cause a birth defect. Approximately 4 to 5 percent of birth defects occur as a result of exposure to a teratogenic agent (Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, 2019).
Teratogenic agents are linked to the treatment of HIV, which is virus that attacks the body’s immune system. When this occurs, T- cells are attacked, which are used to help the body’s immune system fight off infections. If this virus goes untreated, it can lead to AIDS. While no cure currently exists, medications can be utilized to control HIV (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2019). Even though medications can be utilized to help treat those who are diagnosed with HIV, they have side effects associated with them. One of these side effects are its connection to being a teratogenic agent.
When a woman is pregnant with a fetus and is taking medications to help treat HIV, they need to be cautious of what medications that they are using. This is evident when looking at the drug known as dolutegravir, which is a drug that is approved by the FDA to treat patients with HIV. Despite being approved by the FDA, there is now a warning that the drug serves a as a teratogenic agent because it is linked to neural tube birth defects.
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