Congenital abnormalities in Brazilian children associated with misoprostol misuse in first trimester of pregnancy

• Published in: The Lancet (North American edition) Vol. 351; no. 9116; pp. 1624 - 1627
• Main Authors: Gonzalez, CH, Marques-Dias, MJ, Kim, CA, Sugayama, SMM, Da Paz, JA, Huson, S M, Holmes, L B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 30.05.1998
• ISSN: 0099-5355

Misoprostol is commonly used to induce abortion in Brazil, and in other countries in South and Central America where abortions are illegal. However, misoprostol is not very effective in inducing abortions, and exposure to the drug in utero can cause abnormalities in the fetus. We aimed to define the common phenotypical effects of exposure to the drug. We studied 42 infants from Sao Paulo, Brazil, who were exposed to misoprostol during the first 3 months of gestation, and then born with congenital abnormalities. We interviewed each of the infants' mothers to find out about misoprostol exposure and dosage. Each infant was physically examined by a geneticist or a neuropaediatrician. 17 of the infants had equinovarus with cranialnerve defects. Ten children had equinovarus as part of more extensive arthrogryposis. The most distinctive phenotypes were arthrogryposis confined to the legs (five cases) and terminal transverse-limb defects (nine cases) with or without Moebius sequence. The most common dose of misoprostol taken was 800 mu g (range 200-16 000 mu g). Deformities attributed to vascular disruption were found in these children. We suggest that the uterine contractions induced by misoprostol cause vascular disruption in the fetus, including brain-stem ischaemia. Information on the effects of taking misoprostol during pregnancy should be made more widely available, to dissuade women from misusing the drug.