What type of effect is most likely to occur during organogenesis?

• A. teratogenic effect
• B. cerebral effects
• C. lethal effects
• D. genetic effects

Answer: (A)

Organogenesis is the stage when the embryo forms its organs, and it’s a highly sensitive window for disruption. Exposure to teratogens during this time tends to produce congenital malformations, because the developing tissues are actively shaping the structures that will become organs. That’s why the most likely outcome is a teratogenic effect—structural abnormalities caused by agents interfering with normal development.

Some specific outcomes might be brain-related defects if the exposure affects neural development, but those are still categorized under teratogenic effects. Lethal impacts can occur with severe exposure, but the scenario most characteristic of organogenesis is malformation due to teratogenicity. Genetic effects imply changes in DNA that are inherited or occur at the genetic level, which is not the primary concern of organogenesis-focused teratogenic risk.