Birth defect caused by thalidomide

1. By,
Lydia Betsy . M
2nd BSc Home science
Human Development
Mount Carmel College

2. Birth defects are structure , function or metabolism
that are present at birth.
It happens while the baby is developing in
mother’s womb.
It usually happens during 3months of pregnancy.
Birth defects can be caused by genetic ,
environmental or unknown factors.

3. Cleft lip
Deformed
limbs
Baby without
brain

4. About 90% of women take medication during
pregnancy . Pregnant women take prescribed or
non-prescribed drugs.
Some women suffer from chronic health
conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes ,
asthma and thyroid conditions.
Some women suffer from acute illness during
pregnancy such as respiratory infection like
pneumonia.

5. Spina bifida
Limb
defeicency
Deformed
limbs

6. Act directly on fetus which causes birth defects.
Reduce the supply of nutrients and oxygen supply
to fetus which leads to under weight or under
development of fetus.
The muscle in uterus contract forcefully which
injures the fetus by reducing the blood supply to
the fetus or preterm labor and delivery.

8. A-Drugs taken by large number which has no any
proven increase risk.
B-Drugs only taken by limited number of pregnant
women . Human data is lacking.
B1-Animal studies have not shown any increased
risk.
B2-There are no any increased risk.
B3-Animal studies show an increased risk , but it
is not clear if this risk applies to humans.

9. C-Drugs may cause harm to the fetus without
causing birth defects . These effects may be
reversible.
D-Drugs that have caused or may not cause birth
defect , the health benefit may outweigh the risk.
X-Drugs that have a high risk of birth defects and
should not be used during pregnancy.

10. Thalidomide:-Causes extreme underdevelopment
of arms and legs and causes defects of the intestine
, heart and blood vessels in infants.
Oral hypoglycemic:-It causes high blood sugar
level in infants . But insulin injection will not
cause any harm.
Etretinate:-Used to treat skin disorders.
Antihypertensives:-Used to treat high blood
pressure . Which reduces the blood flow to the
placenta.

11. Digoxin:-Used to treat heart failure . Which will
have effect on before the birth or after the birth of
infant.

12. Thalidomide
Digoxin
Anti
hypertensives

14. It was prescribed as a sedative and claimed to cure
anxiety , insomnia , gastritis and tension.
It was used against nausea and to alleviate
morning sickness in pregnant women.
Those subjected to thalidomide while in the womb
experienced limb defencies.
Other effects included deformed eyes , deformed
heart , deformed alimentary , deformed urinary
tract , blindness and deafness.

15. Other malformations occurred affecting the
cardiovascular system , gastrointestinal tract ,
kidney and the special sense organs.

17. It was first marketed in West Germany in the year
1957.
It was given to pregnant women to alleviate
morning sickness after the drug was sold about
5,000 to 7,000 infants were born with phocomelia .
Only 40% of them survived.
Throughout the world 10,000 cases were reported
out of which only 50% of the 10,000 survived.
Now it is being marketed by celgene as a treatment
for cancers , leprosy , HIV/AIDS.

19. When taken during pregnancy causes severe birth
defects or embryo fetal death.
Even single dose taken by a pregnant women
during her pregnancy can cause severe birth
defects.
It was suspected due to the antivitaminic effect of
thalidomide as derivatives of glutamic acid.
The antiangeogenic action of drug that causes limb
defects through preventing blood vessels migration
into developing limb bud.

20. Deformed
limbs
Only with
limb buds
Limb
deficiencies

21. Sleepiness
Constipation
Skin rashes
Severe headaches
Stomach aches
Numbness
Dizziness
Nausea
Pain in arms and feet
Giddiness
Shivering
Depression
Mood swings
Buzzing in the ears
Severe birth defects

22. Inflammatory diseases that affect the skin , such as
cutaneous lupus and Behcet’s disease.
HIV related mouth and throat ulcers , as well as
HIV related weight loss and body wasting.
Cancers , including blood and bone marrow
cancers , such as leukemia and myclofibrosis as
well as cancers found elsewhere in the body.

24. Louise was born at chase farm hospital in Enfield ,
Hertfordshire on 28th june , 1962 to David and
Vicki mason.
Her mother had been prescribed thalidomide to
prevent morning sickness.
She was born with shorten arms and legs.
When she was five weeks old she was sent to
Chailey Heritage a home in East Sussex for
children with disabilities.
She saw her parents only on weekends and during
school holidays.

25. She stayed there until she was 17yrs.
She has 2sisters and 1brother who are not the
thalidomide victims.
She was married to John in the year 1987 and she
was a parent to her daughter Emma in the year
1988 and later parent to Jack.
They were separated in the year 1994.
She then remarried Daren Mansell in the year 2008
who was 49yrs old . He is also a thalidomide
victim

26. Louise and Darren
Mansell
Louise with her parents
and sibilings

27. Louise and family
Louise and Darren

28. He was born on 9th november ,1959.He was born
in Hidesheim in West Germany.Born with severe
birth defects.
He 1.34m tall and has phocomelia.
His mother was prescribed with thalidomide to
combat morning sickness.
He is a German baritone . He was a musician and
has been denied admission to the music
conservatory.

29. He worked has a full time voice professor and he
performed about 50 times in a year.
He was also a professor at Hanns Eisler school of
music in Berlin.
He retired on 11th january in the year 2012 due to
his persistent health problems.
In 2006 , he married Claudia Schtelsick a German
TV journalist.

30. Thomas with
his wife
Thomas as a
baby
Thomas

31. David was born on 12th october , 1973.
He was a Swedish politician and a former
Paralympic swimmer . Who has won 14 world
records during his career.
David owns companies with in personal
development , computer technology and has his
own clothes brand called lega wear.
He released a book in the year 2008 and won
Whang Youn Dai achivement award in 1996.
He is now the Deputy Mayor of Gothenburg and
elected as 2nd vice chairman of Christian
Democrates in Swedan.

32. David as
swimmer
David
David as
Mayor

33. Fraser was born on 1962.
His mother was prescribed with thalidomide
during her pregnancy so he was born with
phocomelia.
Fraser is an English rock musician , actor and
performance artist.
Fraser married Julie Atlas Muz also a performer on
May , 2012 in NewYork city.

35. He was born on 12th of January , 1962.He was
known as Andrew Maulle was born in
Peterborough in England.
He was born to a 17yr old prostitute mother and a
visiting African-American father.
One of the most disabled thalidomide babies born
in UK.
His mother took thalidomide to combat her
morning sickness.
Unable to cope with his deformities and suspecting
he would not survive.

36. So his mother left him in the hospital put into the
care.
He met Hazel and Leonard George Wiles at
Chailey hospital in Sussex on October 1967.
Leonard and Hazel adopted Andrew.
Andrew decided to change his name to Terrence
Wiles.
In 1986 at a conference for handicapped children
Wiles met Robyn a married nurse who left her
husband on june , 1988.

37. Terry with his father
Terry with his wife Robyn

38. They married on 13th of October , 1990 . They live
in New Zealand.
Terry counsels others with disabilities.
He became known internationally through the
Emmy award winning television drama on Giant’s
shoulders and the best selling book of the same
name.

39. Terry Wiles
Terry with Leonard

40. He was born in the year 1960.He is the son of
Majella Neven Dumont and Ernst Brucher.
Niko was born with disabled due to the disastrous
side effects of thalidomide.
He currently lives between London and Cologne
with his wife and two children.
He is a German film director and producer and he
is the founder and artistic director of palladio film.
He founded the Tibetan film school and holds talks
and workshops in script writing and directing.

41. Niko at
work
Niko with
his
daughter
Niko Von
Glasow

42. Niko with his
family
Niko with his
wife
Niko at work