A
birth defect caused by the consumption of the drug
Thalidomide during
pregnancy. Thalidomide hampers
pre-natal development in humans, and most
babies are born with
flipper-like arms and legs and
deformed internal organs. Other
symptoms include:
- missing, webbed, or extra fingers and/or toes
- partial or total loss of hearing and/or sight
- paralysis (usually of the facial muscles)
- improper formation of the digestive tract
- improper formation or absence of the anus
- lesions on major organs (most often fatal before or soon after birth)
Note that
brain function is
not listed; many victims of Thalidomide Malformation that have not
died as
infants live out
successfull,
fulfilling lives today. Plus, as
horrific as the
malformation is, it is not
genetic, but purely
developmental, so Thalidomide-related defects are not passed on to
progeny.
Thanks to www.thalidomide.ca for the info.