Question

Ivy's obstetrician asks her if she has a cat at home. When she says that she does, her doctor tells her that it is important that she find someone else to clean the cat's litter box while she is pregnant. Her doctor explains that pregnant women can catch toxoplasmosis from handling dirty cat litter, and this could cause eye problems with their unborn baby. In this case, what is toxoplasmosis an example of?
(1 point)
plasticity
teratogen
• cytotoxin
carcinogen

Answer 1

Teratogen.

Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy can cross the placenta and cause congenital abnormalities (e.g., chorioretinitis, intracranial calcifications, hydrocephalus), so it’s an infectious teratogen.