Developmental Toxicology

The book examines the historical context of environmental influences on fetal development, particularly highlighting the impact of dietary vitamin A deficiencies since the 1930s. It details the connection between maternal infections, such as rubella, and birth defects, but emphasizes the turning point brought by the thalidomide tragedy in 1962, which revealed the dangers of drug-induced malformations. This event prompted global regulatory changes aimed at improving safety evaluations for potential teratogenic substances, reshaping the approach to drug safety for pregnant women.