Question

Teratogenicity is caused by

• A. Chloramphenicol
• B. Aspirin
• C. Paracetamol
• D. Cetirizine

Hint:

Chloramphenicol is known to cause teratogenic effects, and its use is contraindicated during pregnancy.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

This question is about which drug carries a specific, well-documented risk of fetal harm.
Paracetamol is considered the safest option in pregnancy, and cetirizine's safety profile in pregnancy is generally favourable; aspirin's pregnancy concerns relate mainly to bleeding and labour rather than classic teratogenicity.
Chloramphenicol, however, is specifically avoided in pregnancy due to known fetal/neonatal toxicity risks, matching what the question is asking for.
So the answer is Chloramphenicol.

Answer 2

Group the drugs by their pregnancy safety reputation, from "generally considered safe" to "specifically flagged as risky," and see which one stands apart.

1. Chloramphenicol: An antibiotic with a specific, well-recognised warning against use in pregnancy/neonates due to toxic effects, fitting the profile of a drug to avoid because of fetal risk.
2. Aspirin: Used cautiously in pregnancy (particularly at high doses late in pregnancy) for reasons distinct from teratogenicity, such as bleeding tendency.
3. Paracetamol: Considered one of the safer choices for pain/fever relief throughout pregnancy.
4. Cetirizine: An antihistamine with a generally reassuring safety record in pregnancy.

With three of the four options carrying a relatively safe or non-teratogenic reputation, chloramphenicol is the clear outlier specifically associated with fetal harm.

Therefore, the correct answer is Chloramphenicol.