Offspring of male and female parents with thalidomide embryopathy: birth defects and functional anomalies.

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate congenital malformations and functional anomalies in the offspring of Swedish parents with thalidomide embryopathy (TE).

Methods: Sixty-four children (29 girls, 35 boys) with ages ranging from 0-18 years, born to 34 Swedish parents (14 women, 20 men) with TE, were studied. Data on malformations and dysfunction were collected from medical records at maternity and child healthcare units, delivery units, hospitals, outpatient clinics and schools.

Results: Five children had both a mother and father with TE, 23 had a mother suffering from TE, and in 36 children the father had TE. One girl had a major malformation consisting of pulmonary stenosis, and single cases of minor physical features and positional deformities were observed. One boy had autism. Four children were born preterm, all to a TE mother. One child died within 24 hr after birth. Seven spontaneous abortions were registered, five of them in TE mothers. The cesarian section rate was 39% among the TE mothers, compared to 14% among the non-TE mothers.

Conclusions: Malformations or functional anomalies similar to those typical for TE were not found in this group of children born to Swedish parents with TE. Cesarian sections were more frequently performed in TE mothers, partly because of pelvic and uterine malformations.