What birth defects does thalidomide cause?
In 1961, doctors in Germany, Australia and Great Britain noted a significant increase in the number of babies born with severely malformed or missing arms and legs. These birth defects were traced to the use of thalidomide during early pregnancy, when a baby’s arms and legs begin to form. The most well-known defect, a severe shortening of the arms or legs with flipper-like hands or feet, is called phocomelia. Affected babies almost always have defects on both sides and often have both the arms and legs malformed. In especially severe cases, the babies have complete absence of limbs. The drug also causes malformations of the eyes and ears, heart, genitals, kidneys and digestive tract (including the lips and mouth) (3, 5). About 40 percent of babies exposed to the drug die before or soon after delivery (5). Thalidomide is one of the most powerful human teratogens (drugs or other agents that cause abnormal development in the embryo or fetus). Taking even a single dose of thalidomide durin
