Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Practice Exam

Thalidomide is known to be harmful during pregnancy due to its:

1. Myelosuppression

2. Teratogenicity

3. Ototoxicity

4. Nephrotoxicity

The correct answer is: Teratogenicity

Thalidomide is recognized for its teratogenic effects, which means it can cause developmental malformations in a fetus when taken during pregnancy. This medication was originally marketed as a sedative and later prescribed for morning sickness, but it led to severe birth defects in infants whose mothers consumed it while pregnant. Teratogenicity specifically refers to the ability of a substance to cause malformation or abnormal development of an embryo or fetus, and this characteristic is what made thalidomide notably dangerous during pregnancy. In contrast, the other options describe different types of toxicity that are not relevant to thalidomide's impact on fetal development. Myelosuppression refers to the reduced ability of the bone marrow to produce blood cells, but this is not specifically related to teratogenic effects. Ototoxicity is the potential for a substance to cause damage to the auditory system, and nephrotoxicity relates to harmful effects on the kidneys. While these adverse effects may be associated with certain medications, they do not pertain to the specific risks that thalidomide poses to pregnancy and fetal development.