Abstract
Phocomelia refers to a birth defect in which the hands and feet are attached to abbreviated arms and legs. The term comes from phoco (meaning 'seal') and melia (meaning 'limb'), to indicate a developmental abnormality in which the limb is like a seal's flipper. There has been an explosion of knowledge about child development in past decade or so, and it is hard to remember that it was only about 50 years ago that the discovery was made that the fetus is vulnerable to exposures. The phocomelia epidemic resulting from use of thalidomide by pregnant women was an early but dramatic example of the ability of chemicals to traverse the placenta and damage the fetus. More than one system can be susceptible and different pathologies may occur depending upon the dose and timing of exposure.
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