Prenatal Developmental Toxicity Study (OECD TG 414)

795. The OECD Prenatal Developmental Toxicity Study is an apical assay designed to provide general information concerning the effects of prenatal exposure to a chemical on the pregnant test animal and on the developing organism. This may include assessment of maternal effects as well as death, structural abnormalities or altered growth in the foetus. The primary purpose of this study is to provide data on adverse effects related to development. The current version of the guideline was adopted in January 2001. Previous versions of this test guideline (TG) had a less extensive exposure period and fewer endpoints. The study was not designed to detect endocrine active substances (EASs), but has some endpoints relevant for the assessment of possible endocrine disruption and is currently being updated to include more. Following a feasibility study (OECD, 2015), this assay was updated in July 2018 to include some endocrine-relevant endpoints as the exposure periods cover some of the sensitive periods during development (prenatal period). It should be noted that if an assay was conducted before 2018, it is unlikely to include these extra endpoints.