In the case of birth defects, the science is slightly more strongly supported, as there is physical evidence that suggests that teratogens, the very agents that cause defects, have something to do with post birth autism in children.

Researchers in a number of disciplines in addition to development and toxicology contribute to discussions of such matters as signal transduction pathways as targets for teratogens, personalized nutrition and medicine in perinatal development, zebrafish as a non-mammalian model of developmental toxicology, integrating whole-animal developmental toxicity data into risk assessment, genomic approaches, and investigating drug effects in human pregnancy.

In 2006, Dibutyl phthalates, or DBPs, joined toluene and formaldehyde on California's Proposition 65 list of suspected teratogens, or chemicals that cause disfiguring birth defects.