Drug that causes birth defects.
Birth defects are caused when pregnant women take medicines listed below and various other unknown reasons.
There are some medicines which are necessary for some women. They must take medicine for maintaining health. For example medicines for asthma and epilepsy cannot be stopped. But the very same medicines can cause birth defects in children if they are consumed during pregnancy. Medication is done by adapting a approach of risk and benefit if the benefits are more than risk physicians decide on continuation of the medicine.
Many people do not know about these medicines when taken during pregnancy can cause birth defects. Which are these medicines the general public must know about the drugs which when taken can cause birth defects in newborn.
Most common birth defects are defects of the neural tube, Cleft Lip / Cleft Palate. Congenital heart defects. Improper development of Brain and Autism spectrum disorder.
Following are the medicines which may cause birth defects if taken for a longer duration during pregnancy, therefore every medicine should be taken after consultation with a family physician.
The Thalidomide drug was a tragedy in history where the newborn babies were born without limbs. Here is the detailed information about Thalidomide.
1) Valproates: valproate and tricyclic antidepressant, benzodiazepines.
2) Isotretinoin
3) Steroid containing drugs.
4) Prednisolone
5) Diethylstilbestrol
6) Male hormones
7) Thalidomide
8) Lithium Carbonate
9) Antibiotics like bleomycin, vincristine.
10) Anti cancer drugs containing nitrogen mustard ring. (Cyclophosphamide)
11) Some medicines used for HIV infection.
12) Cocain, Benzocaine
13) Medicines which are used for treatment of tuberculosis. Except Vitamin B6
14) Warfarin
15) Thyroid medicines
16) Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines prolonged use and in high dosage.
Following chemical fumes are toxic and may cause birth defects in event a pregnant woman is exposed to them.
17) Formaldehyde fumes
18) Ethylene oxide traces
19) Pyrethrin and allethrin containing topical lotions, sprays
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