Formalin: nephrotoxic teratogen?

Formaldehyde is an extensively used chemical; its ill effects have been of concern. Its nephrotoxic effects in laboratory animals and carcinogenic effects on humans are well established. We report of a pregnant woman with a normal ongoing pregnancy with a morphologically normal fetus. She was exposed to high doses of formaldehyde through inhalational route in the second trimester. Six weeks later she was found to have severe oligohydramnios with dysplastic fetal kidneys and fetal ascites. The various known causes for this problem reported in the literature are discussed. Based on the discussion the author has drawn a conclusion that the fate of the fetus reported can be attributed to transplacental nephrotoxic effect of formaldehyde. Previously two cases of malformations have been reported but this appears to be the first case of transplacental nephrotoxicty of formaldehyde.