retinoic acid embryopathy

retinoic acid embryopathy

characteristic pattern of mental and physical birth defects that results from maternal use of retinoids, the synthetic derivatives of vitamin A, during pregnancy. The most well known retinoid is isotretinoin, a drug used to treat severe cystic acne. Features may include growth delays, malformations of the skull and facial region, and central nervous system and cardiac abnormalities.

retinoic acid embryopathy

Perinatology A teratogenic complex induced by retinoic acid, a vitamin A analogue, resulting in a 26-fold ↑ of congenital defects–eg, microtia, anotia, cleft palate, cardiac–conotruncal and aortic arch, neural crest, craniofacial, thymic defects, hyperostoses, retinal and optic nerve abnormalities, CNS malformations, premature closure of the epiphyseal plates; an identical embryopathy occurs with 'megadose' ingestion of vitamin A