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Prescriptions of thalidomide are accompanied by strict measures to avoid any possibility of use during pregnancy, and thalidomide should be avoided in women wanting to conceive. [21] In the United States, the prescribing doctor is required to ensure that contraception is being used and that regular pregnancy tests are taken. [15] [14]
Feet of a baby born to a mother who had taken thalidomide while pregnant. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the use of thalidomide in 46 countries was prescribed to women who were pregnant or who subsequently became pregnant, and consequently resulted in the "biggest anthropogenic medical disaster ever," with more than 10,000 children born with a range of severe deformities, such as ...
Adverse effects by frequency: [1] [2] Note that teratogenicity is not discussed here as it is not considered a side effect. For information regarding birth defects, see thalidomide .
Other effects also seen with thalidomide exposure included deformed eyes and hearts, deformed alimentary and urinary tracts, blindness and deafness. [5] The thalidomide tragedy marked a turning point in toxicity testing, as it prompted United States and international regulatory agencies to develop systematic toxicity testing protocol.
Phocomelia is a congenital condition that involves malformations of human arms and legs which result in a flipper-like appendage. [1] [2] A prominent cause of phocomelia is the mother being prescribed the use of the drug thalidomide during pregnancy; however, the causes of most cases are to be determined.
Thalidomide was a racemic therapeutic and prescribed to pregnant women to control nausea and vomiting. The drug was withdrawn from world market when it became evident that the use in pregnancy causes phocomelia (clinical conditions where babies are born with deformed hand and limbs).
However, when pregnant women take an antiangiogenic agent, the developing fetus will not form blood vessels properly, thereby preventing the proper development of fetal limbs and circulatory systems. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, thousands of children were born with deformities, most notably phocomelia, as a consequence of thalidomide use ...
The thalidomide molecule is a synthetic derivative of glutamic acid and consists of a glutarimide ring and a phthaloyl ring (Figure 5). [15] [16] Its IUPAC name is 2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)isoindole-1,3-dione and it has one chiral center [15] After thalidomide's selective inhibition of TNF-α had been reported, a renewed effort was put in thalidomide's clinical development.