Thalidomide, now banned for use as a sedative during pregnancy, was used in the early 1960s by many women in their first trimester of pregnancy. Some of these women gave birth to children with limb and organ deformities. Which of the following processes did the drug most likely influence?
A) early cleavage divisions
B) differentiation of bone tissue
C) morphogenesis
D) gastrulation

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Thalidomide likely influenced morphogenesis, the process by which an organism takes shape and the positions of its various parts are determined. This is consistent with the types of deformities (limb and organ) observed in children born to mothers who took the drug during pregnancy.

Thalidomide, Now Banned for Use as a Sedative During Pregnancy