Accutane and Birth Defects
WARNINGS: Accutane must
not be used by females who are pregnant. Although not
every fetus exposed to Accutane has resulted
in a deformed child, there is an extremely high risk
that a deformed infant can result if pregnancy occurs
while taking Accutane in any amount even for
short periods of time. Potentially any fetus exposed
during pregnancy can be affected. Presently, there are
no accurate means of determining, after Accutane
exposure, which fetus has been affected and which fetus
has not been affected.
Accutane has been associated with severe birth defects
in children whose mothers were taking Accutane before
or during pregnancy. There is an extremely high risk
that a baby will be deformed or will die if the mother
is pregnant while taking Accutane.
The risk of birth defects in children whose mother's
underwent Accutane treatment during pregnancy is considered
so high that terminating pregnancy is considered the
only solution.
In addition to birth defects Accutane can also cause
miscarriage, premature birth or death of the baby.
Birth defects may include:
- Skull abnormalities
- Ear abnormalities
- Eye abnormalities
- Facial dysmorphia
- Cleft palate
- Cerebral abnormalities
- Cranial nerve deficit
- Cardiovascular problems
- Death
Women MUST NOT get pregnant while undergoing treatment
with Accutane. Many safe guards have been set in place
to prevent pregnancy during Accutane treatment, but
ultimately it is up to the individual to decide if they
want to risk becoming pregnant while taking Accutane.
If a woman decides to begin treatment with Accutane
she must first submit two negative pregnancy tests prior
to starting treatment. Once treatment has begun she
must submit a negative pregnancy test to her physician
once a month and use 2 methods of birth control during
treatment. A woman must not become pregnant for 1 month
after using Accutane, as their still may be traces of
the drug in her system that would cause severe birth
defects.
So far birth defects have been the most severe and
controversial side effects of Accutane. The controversy
is exacerbated even more because abortion is considered
the only option for women who conceive during Accutane
treatment. The risk of severe and life threatening birth
defects is that high. The birth defect disaster associated
with Accutane has been compared to the tragedy of Thalidomide
births in the 50's and 60's.
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