Which anomaly is an example of a disruption in the developmental process?

• A. Club foot
• B. Hemangioma
• C. Amniotic band syndrome
• D. Neural tube defect

Answer: (C)

Disruptions are interruptions in an otherwise normal developmental process caused by an external insult after development has begun. Amniotic band syndrome fits this best: fibrous amniotic bands constrict parts of the fetus, cutting off blood flow and tissue growth, which leads to constriction rings or even loss of fetal tissue. This external interference occurs after the limb or digit has started to form, so the defect is the result of a disruption rather than a primary problem in the tissue’s own development.

In contrast, a deformity like a club foot arises from abnormal shaping or positioning during development, not from a later external disruption. A hemangioma is a vascular tumor unrelated to disruption of development. A neural tube defect stems from failure of neural tube closure during neurulation, which is a malformation intrinsic to the tissue’s early development, not a disruption from an external cause.