Question
At what stage of pregnancy can fetal abnormalities and intellectual disability be detected?
Answer
Fetal abnormalities mainly occur during the early stages of early pregnancy, which is the stage of organ formation, when they are extremely sensitive to external influences. The most severe abnormalities usually occur between the 3rd and 8th week of pregnancy. After the 9th week, except for the brain, external genitalia, teeth, and upper jaw, which are not yet fully developed, the sensitivity of other organs to external teratogenic factors decreases. If affected at this time, it may lead to mental retardation or abnormalities in external genitalia and functional disorders of organ connections.