Pregnancy is a period during which a woman carries a fetus in her womb until the time of birth. Medically, pregnancy is dated from the outset of the last normal menstrual period. From this time till parturition, pregnancy lasts approximately nine months. This period of pregnancy is called the gestational period. A significant time in this period is the first eight weeks of the fetus’ life called the embryonic period. During this period, the embryo is more vulnerable to the risk of teratogens (substances that can cause abnormal growth of a fetus).
Thus, for the period a fetus spends in the womb, there is a constant struggle for existence by that fetus. It is therefore mandated that every pregnant mother provides and maintains a conducive environment for the development of the fetus. This can be done by avoiding some specific substances which when taken, is a risk factor for birth defects (abnormal developmental structure of the fetus) or worse still, spontaneous abortion (premature expulsion of the fetus).
Below is a list of top ten substances which every pregnant mother should avoid for the proper growth and development of her baby.
1. ALCOHOL
Alcohol, whether high or low is bad for the health of an unborn baby hence should be completely avoided during pregnancy. Alcohol alters normal developmental mechanisms (such as cell division, cell induction and cell differentiation) and thus is a high risk factor for the occurrence of birth defects.

Babies who were born to pregnant women who have taken alcohol have been shown to exhibit a particular pattern of birth defects called the fetal alcohol syndrome.
Babies with this syndrome have mental deficiency, microcephaly (small head), eye anomalies and joint problems.
2. CIGARETTE
Cigarette smoking is another cause of birth defects in babies. Statistics show that premature delivery is twice as frequent in mothers who smoke than the ones who do not smoke. Maternal smoking during pregnancy is linked to the cause of intrauterine growth restriction (restricted growth of the fetus while in the womb). The mechanism for this is that nicotine, the active ingredient of cigarette, is a vasoconstrictor and constricts the uterine blood vessels, decreasing blood flow to the uterus hence leading to poor nutrient supply to the developing baby. Hence, cellular growth and development is altered leading to a range of birth defects.
3. ANTIBIOTICS
Antibiotics are drugs used in the treatment of a myriad of bacterial infections. As bacterial infections are among the most commonly encountered infections, antibiotics are among the most commonly used drugs in everyday life. Examples of antibiotics include streptomycin, dihydrostreptomycin and tetracycline. Though these drugs are not harmful to non-pregnant women, they are very harmful to the developing baby and hence should be avoided by pregnant women.
Research has shown that intake of high doses of streptomycin during pregnancy has been linked to deafness in newborns. Another antibiotic, tetracycline, has been shown to cause tooth defects even when taken in relatively low to moderate quantities.

4. VITAMIN A
Though a very essential nutrient during pregnancy, high intake of vitamin A during pregnancy has been reported as a high risk factor for birth defects. It is usually advisable for pregnant women to abstain from vitamin A (or take in low quantities) during the embryonic period (third or eight weeks of the developing baby’s life). During this period, the risk of spontaneous abortions and craniofacial defects with high intake of vitamin A is very high.
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