Linear growth of children with limb deformities following exposure to thalidomide in utero.

The growth of 202 children exposed to thalidomide in utero and having upper (139 children) or lower (63 children) limb deformities has been assess towards the end of pre-pubertal growth. The analyses show that children exposed to thalidomide are shorter than normal children but grow at a normal velocity later. These findings may help in consideration of the mechanism by which thalidomide exerted its teratogenic effect. Analyses of growth may find a wider use in the retrospective assessment of drugs which are potentially harmful in pregnancy.