structure or function of the body. Everybody is born with some kind of imperfection.

Most are relatively mild, like a birth mark. However, some babies are born with more

serious birth defects. Not all birth defects are apparent at birth, particularly the ones that

can cause learning disabilities, certain health problems the child might face as he/she gets

older, etc. Many different things can cause birth defects. A large portion of birth defects

are drug related. These are environmental causes of birth defects and range from cocaine,

to cigarettes, to alcohol, and even to prescription and over the counter drugs. In this

paper, only a few of these causes, along with their effects, will be addressed.

FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) is one of the leading causes of retardation in babies.

Alcohol is a teterogen, which is a substance that is toxic to the baby’s developing brain.

A baby’s brain develops throughout the entire pregnancy, so the baby’s brain is always

vulnerable to damage from alcohol exposure (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Community

Recourse Center, http://www.come-over.to/FAS/FASbrain.htm) The damage

Tobacco is another teterogenic drug that is not illegal. Tobacco contains nicotine,

the amount of blood flow to the baby from mom, which results in not enough oxygen to

disorders have attachment issues, display inappropriate sexual behaviors, show poor

speeds up heart rate, which raises blood pressure. It tightens blood vessels and reduces

supervision for the rest of their lives. [Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Community Resource

woman’s urine tests positive for cocaine, the baby will be taken into state custody after

attempt to communicate; difficulty forming links between behavior and consequence;

have significant difficulties due to prenatal exposure to alcohol. According to research

Some topics in this essay:
SIDS Cocaine, Resource Center, Birth Defects, Defects--Nancy Shniderman, Recourse Center, Shniderman Cocaine, PA Fried, Claire Coles, FAS FAE, Journal Pediatrics, birth defects, drugs birth, fetal alcohol, nervous system, baby’s brain, fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol syndrome, babies exposed heroin, babies exposed, exposed heroin, withdrawal symptoms, alcohol cause, birth weight babies, alcohol syndrome community, low birth weight,