Is benzodiazepine use during pregnancy really teratogenic?

Benzodiazepines (BDs) have a widespread use among people suffering from anxiety. These drugs easily cross the placenta and may affect the developing embryo and fetus. The literature is divided as to whether BD may cause an increase in spontaneous abortions or congenital anomalies.

[Two-dimensional electrophoresis of myocardial proteins in human cardio-vascular diseases].

The protein composition of human myocardium at some cardiovascular pathologies was studied by use of 2D electrophoresis. It was found that dilitation(al) cardiomyopathy and ischemia are both characterized by transferrin accumulation in myocardium and by enhanced expression of a protein with Mm 3 kD/pI 5. Besides that, at ischemic disease there was seen an elevation of the fetal isoform in the light chain of myosin.

[Study of human lymphocyte proteins using two-dimensional electrophoresis].

Using O'Farrell 2DE modified method, a panel of human lymphocyte proteins have been studied. A 2-D map involving 273 fractions characterized in M(r)/pI coordinates has been developed. Some proteins were identified on the map and some comparability of experimental results to the Celis et al.

[A clinico-genetic study of patients with congenital deformities of the jaw bones].

Clinical and genetic examination of 78 patients, 43 of these women with jaw bone deformations aged 16 to 30, has revealed that inferior macrognathia combined with superior macrognathia were the most incident in jaw bone deformations. The share of familial cases was 23.9%, this proving a hereditary predisposition to such conditions.

[Prevalence of hereditary pathologies in residents of the Kirov Province].

Medical-genetic study was carried out in the population of Kirov Province (population size about 120.000). 203 families with 334 affected with hereditary disorders were registered.