What are the hazards/risks that could be harmful to new and expectant mothers?
The following checklist is a useful tool to help identify risks that could be harmful to the health and safety of new and expectant mothers and their children. The overall health hazards are: Teratogenesis – non-heritable abnormal development of the foetus Mutagenesis – heritable defects of the foetus or alteration to parental germ-line Tumourigenesis – production of tumours in the foetus or reproductive organs of the mother Foetal infection – transmission across the placenta by certain pathogens Foetotoxicity – frank poisoning of the foetus by certain chemicals Health effects for the expectant mother Foetal death (spontaneous abortion of foetus or stillbirth) – a possible consequence of the above hazards. Also, live born infants can be harmed through transmission of agents (chemical, biological or radiological) via breast milk, or via reduction in milk production of mother, or other health and welfare effects on mother that degrade her care-giving capacity. Generic Hazards Mental and
