Comments on: Solving a 50-Year Mystery: How Thalidomide Causes Birth Defects

By: Mara

Mara — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 22:12:33 +0000

I had a great Aunt who’s mother recived thalidomide shots during her pregnancy. Her baby was born and never grew up (she couldn’t walk,talk, eat, or go to the bathroom by herself) she looked older but never got bigger then a 8 month old, she died at the age of 40 in the late 90′s. I have been looking through websites and it looks like none of the effects of thalidomide caused that certain birth defect. I want to know if her birth defect was actually caused by thalidomide.

By: Lynn

Lynn — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 04:03:21 +0000

In 1960-1961 I was pregnant with my first child, and suffering HORRIBLE non-stop “morning-sickness”. My husband was in the Army and I was receiving “pre-natal care” at our Base Hospital, in Fairbanks, Alaska. I was put in the hospital and given thalidomide and later compazine for the sickness. I could not keep the thalidomide down, and vomited almost instantly each time I swallowed it. The compazine ended up giving me a paralysis of the facial muscles, and swallowing of my tongue! I had no idea how LUCKY I was, until 2 or 3 years later, when we returned to our home, in the lower 48…and I saw the LIFE magazine article describing the effects of Thalidomide. I had actually KEPT the bottle with the remaining pills…and I rushed to the medicine cabinet to see if the medicine I had taken…(and vomited) was indeed, the same. IT WAS!!! Thankfully, my daughter was born healthy, BEAUTIFUL…though VERY tiny. In her early teens, she began losing her hearing…and is completely deaf today. She is STILL very, VERY tiny….about 4’10. But, she is healthy, smart, so lovely…. and a miracle in my eyes. My pregnancy was a physical nightmare for me, and I weighed 20 lbs less when my daughter was born…than I had when my pregnancy began. But, I realize how very fortunate I was…and thank GOD for my prolonged, 9 month “morning sickness”.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:08:05 +0000

what in the heck… how is someone suppose to unterstand this…:’-(

By: Roy Shastid

Roy Shastid — Wed, 13 May 2009 10:36:23 +0000

I seem to recall that this mystery was solved some time ago. I had heard/read somewhere that the effect of this drug was to block one of the B vitamins and that with supplements of this nutrient the effects could have been avoided. Anyone else have more information on this?