The Use of Dangerous Drugs During Pregnancy: Congenital Abnormalities
Authors: HARRY C. SHIRKEY
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1964)

Editorials1 July 1964The Use of Dangerous Drugs During Pregnancy: Congenital AbnormalitiesHARRY C. SHIRKEY, M.D.HARRY C. SHIRKEY, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-61-1-162 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptPotentially dangerous yet "life-saving drugs cannot be withheld from the pregnant woman. In such cases, valuable information can be obtained concerning teratogenicy (or its absence) of potent drugs" (1).Cancer chemotherapeutic agents "exert their maximal damaging effects on rapidly dividing tissues . . . Since a high rate of cell division characterizes the fetus, it would be expected that the fetus would be sensitive to the action of cancer therapeutic agents and that fetal damage would be the rule when effective doses were administered. Such damage should lead to spontaneous abortion, if it were severe enough to make further development...References1. FINAL REPORT: Committee on Teratology, Commission on Drug Safety, Chicago, 1963. Google Scholar2. SOKALLESSMANN JEEM: Effects of cancer chemotherapeutic agents on the human fetus. JAMA 172: 1765, 1960. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. THIERSCH JB: Therapeutic abortions with folic acid antagonist, 4-aminopteroylglutamic-acid (4-Amino P G A) administered by oral route. Amer. J. Obstet. Gynec. 63: 1298, 1952. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. REPORT: Conference on Prenatal Effects of Drugs, March 29-30, 1963; Commission on Drug Safety, Chicago, Illinois. Google Scholar5. WORKSHOP IN TERATOLOGY, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, Feb. 2-8, 1964, Commission on Drug Safety. Google Scholar6. KARNOFSKYCLARKSON DABD: Cellular effects of anticancer drugs. Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. p. 357, 1963. CrossrefGoogle Scholar7. SHOTTONMONIE DIW: Possible teratogenic effect of chlorambucil on a human fetus. JAMA 186: 74, 1963. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. MONIE IW: Chlorambucil-induced abnormalities of urogenital system of rat fetuses. Anat. Rec. 139: 145, 1961. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. WERBOFFGOTTLEIB JJS: Drugs in pregnancy, behavioral teratology. Obstet. Gynec. Survey 18: 420, 1963. CrossrefGoogle Scholar10. GREENBERGTANAKA LHKR: Congenital anomalies probably induced by cyclophosphamide. JAMA 188: 423, 1964. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. MELLINKATZENSTEIN GWM: The saga of thalidomide. New Eng. J. Med. 267: 1184, 1238, 1962. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar12. SHIRKEY HC: Reactions to drugs, in Pediatric Therapy, C. V. Mosby, St. Louis, 1964. Google Scholar13. BRENT RL: Drug testing in animals for teratogenic effects: thalidomide in the pregnant rat. J. Pediat. 64: 766, 1964. CrossrefGoogle Scholar14. WOLSTENHOLMEO'CONNOR GECM: Congenital Malformations, Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1960. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: HARRY C. SHIRKEY, M.D.Affiliations: The Children's Hospital Birmingham, Alabama PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byHuman Experiences Related to Adverse Drug Reactions to the Fetus or Neonate from Some Maternally Administered DrugsBusulfan therapy of myelocytic leukemia during pregnancy**This material has been reviewed by the Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army, and there is no objection to its presentation and/or publication. This review does not imply any indorsement of the opinions advanced or any recommendation of such products as may be named.Actinomycin and Its Effects 1 July 1964Volume 61, Issue 1Page: 162-165KeywordsCancer chemotherapyChemotherapeutic agentsCongenital disordersDrugsEffective doseFetusesMiscarriagePregnancy ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 July 1964 PDF downloadLoading ...