Contribution of clinical teratologists and geneticists to the evaluation of the etiology of congenital malformations alleged to be caused by environmental agents: ionizing radiation, electromagnetic fields, microwaves, radionuclides, and ultrasound

Abstract

Analysis of these six clinical problems demonstrates the value of a complete clinical evaluation of a child with congenital malformations by an experienced and well-trained physician who is familiar with the fields of developmental biology, teratology , epidemiology, and genetics. Too often, the entire emphasis is placed on epidemiological data that may be meager or insufficient for a rational conclusion when clinical findings that are readily available can provide definitive answers with regard to the etiology of a child's malformations or the merits of an environmental etiology.