Clomid and birth defects???

[Devi_a]

I start Clomid next week (if I start my period right after ending Provera), and today my fiance received an email talking about a class action lawsuit for mothers who took Clomid and had babies with birth defects. The link led to an attorney matching website which listed birth defects such as being born without a brain, heart defects, spinal defects, etc. My fiance is understandably freaked out.

I called my doctor, and talked to her nurse, who had never heard anything about this, then went to a pharmacist who also never heard anything about this. Then I started searching online and found a few sites (kind of disreputable) that did have more information. Supposedly, the study was done by researchers from the CDC, and was published in the online journal "Human Reproduction" in November 2010. I haven't found the actual journal article yet, but I did find this: /https://https://www.newsinferno.com/health-concerns/clomid-birth-defect-link-investigated/

And this:https://www.oshmanlaw.com/pharmaceutical_litigation/clomid.html

So now I'm a little antsy, although I kind of think it might mostly be the lawyers trying to make money off of unfortunate parents. I've heard so many good things about Clomid, and frankly, since I have PCOS, it's going to be difficult to conceive otherwise. Has anyone else heard anything about this or have concrete information?

 

[Jazavac]

Nope, there are more than likely no relations between birth defects and clomid.

The attorneys on TV/newspapers/magazines/wherever are just trying to make money.

 

[StephArz]

I received that same exact e-mail today!!! & I just finished taking my last Clomid pill yesterday!! I really truly believe its just the attys trying to make $$!

 

[nevernormal]

Clomid has been around quite a while it seems -- Some ladies on here TTC are clomid babies. If there was a huge correlation between Clomid and birth defects, I think it would be way more evident by now!

Whether you conceive naturally, using Clomid, through IVF, or any other means, there's no gaurantee you won't get birth defects. Clomid works to stimulate your body to grow and egg, and release it. By the time the baby is conceive and is developing, it's out of your system! There are definitely a lot of things you can do that will affect your baby's development, but honestly I don't think taking Clomid is one of them.

 

[NYCgal]

I am certainly no expert, but I did conceive my daughter with Clomid 3 years ago. She was born with a clubfoot, maybe Clomid related, maybe not. She is amazing either way and I am beyond grateful! With that said my husband and I have decided Clomid will no longer be in our future.

By the time the baby is conceive and is developing, it's out of your system!

THis is NOt true! Clomid has a half life and remains in your body for a few weeks after you conceive.

 

[JessPape]

I think many things can cause birth defects, and if Clomid was as big of an issues as it is, it'd be all over the media and it isn't. With that I think your DNA can cause birth deficits, certain foods, the next thing you know they will be saying to much SUN can cause a birth defect. Really, unless we live in a bubble who's to say..

 

[oldmom43]

When my husband and I were trying to conceive 13-14 years ago, I was put on Clomid. Yes it made me a terror for 5 days a month, and after 6 months they doubled my dose, 6 months after that I was pregnant. I was 29 at the time, overweight, a smoker, and I have Hep C. Never the less 9 months and an extra ten days late, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, 8 lbs 12 oz, by C-section, at the age of 30. Jessica is our only child ( I did not want to push my luck after 30) , she has no birth defects, a 140 IQ, she is incredibly beautiful and smart! I know I am bragging, but if not for that tedious year spent taking Clomid, having sex on a schedule, and propping my butt on a pillow after, she would not be here.

 

[SWilliams]

News Inferno has a link to a site about the CDC study

 

[SWilliams]

Clomid taken within the first trimester is the most dangerous I heard.

 

[tfredenberg13]

I spoke with my doctor about potential for birth defects, side effects, etc. and he said that anything you eat and what you put your body through can cause birth defects.
I personally have PCOS and I'm willing to try whatever I need to get a healthy baby. I have a close friend who took clomid and after her first round was pregnant with twins. They were both born healthy with no birth defects or anything. They are now going to elementary school and doing sports and things like that.
She swears by it and told me I have nothing to lose so I'm going to be starting my first round as soon as af arrives.

 

[sequeena]

Hun try to not let those links scare you. Every pregnancy is a risk, no matter whether you get pregnant naturally or need a bit of help. I started bleeding at 14 weeks, discovered that my waters had broken (rehealed at 20 weeks) and continued to have low amniotic fluid throughout my pregnancy. I did everything 'right' and my son was born with an extra thumb.

I'm sure clomid has no link whatsoever to birth defects

 

[sunshine1217]

Hun try to not let those links scare you. Every pregnancy is a risk, no matter whether you get pregnant naturally or need a bit of help. I started bleeding at 14 weeks, discovered that my waters had broken (rehealed at 20 weeks) and continued to have low amniotic fluid throughout my pregnancy. I did everything 'right' and my son was born with an extra thumb.

I'm sure clomid has no link whatsoever to birth defects

Ithink the extra thumb is a genetic. I have heard that a lot of people from Asia are like that. It's like having a hitchhiker's thumb or blond hair. I don't think it's from anything you did.

 

[sequeena]

Hun try to not let those links scare you. Every pregnancy is a risk, no matter whether you get pregnant naturally or need a bit of help. I started bleeding at 14 weeks, discovered that my waters had broken (rehealed at 20 weeks) and continued to have low amniotic fluid throughout my pregnancy. I did everything 'right' and my son was born with an extra thumb.

I'm sure clomid has no link whatsoever to birth defects

Ithink the extra thumb is a genetic. I have heard that a lot of people from Asia are like that. It's like having a hitchhiker's thumb or blond hair. I don't think it's from anything you did.

Yes it is meant to be genetic (and lucky too!). We can't think of anyone on either side with an extra digit/body part was quite a shock as it can be picked up on scans but I had 12 and nobody had a clue!

 

[sunshine1217]

oh wow, so you had 12 and you didn't know?

 

[Beccasmom]

I tried concieving for 11 years. I had several surgeries to rebuild my reproductive organs and had over 100 procedures done over that 11 years. I also took HIGH doses of Clomid for years. When I FINALLY had my beautiful baby girl, I was almost 38 and had every fear in the world...defects, Downs, you name it. Not only did she come out perfect, she is now 11 years old, reads at a college level and is an academic genius.
I also got one of those "class action lawsuit" emails last week about Clomid. First off, in Class action lawsuits, the lawyers get all the money and the people listed get pennies, if anything. But there is nothing to this. I took mega doses of Clomid for many years, had a baby at a later age and got a pretty much perfect baby at that. The stress of 11 years of trying, that nearly did me in. But the Clomid, was a Godsend.

 

[sequeena]

oh wow, so you had 12 and you didn't know?

Not a clue! He's got a habit now of hiding his hand by his head so you can't see the thumb so we think that's what he did in the womb too x

 

[sunshine1217]

oh wow, so you had 12 and you didn't know?

Not a clue! He's got a habit now of hiding his hand by his head so you can't see the thumb so we think that's what he did in the womb too x

awwwww.....btw, people get those removed, will you be doing that for him? He's so adorable!!!

 

[sequeena]

oh wow, so you had 12 and you didn't know?

Not a clue! He's got a habit now of hiding his hand by his head so you can't see the thumb so we think that's what he did in the womb too x

awwwww.....btw, people get those removed, will you be doing that for him? He's so adorable!!!

Yes we will, just waiting for a referral x I'll miss it when it's gone

 

[Victoria45]

I took Clomid to get pregnant with my son who is now 18 years old. He was born with a malformed, permanantly dislocated elbow, missing fingers, and his left arm does not rotate. His left arm is a little more than half the length of his right. At the time he was born the doctors dodn't know what caused it. The makers of Clomid, at that time, did not admit that their drug was related to birth defects. Now, all these years later, the facts and data are being compiled and there is enough concern about birth defects with this drug that the following warning was issued:

Fetal/Neonatal Anomalies and Mortality
The following fetal abnormalities have been reported subsequent to pregnancies following ovulation induction therapy with CLOMID during clinical trials. Each of the following fetal abnormalities were reported at a rate of <1% (experiences are listed in order of decreasing frequency): Congenital heart lesions, Down syndrome, club foot, congenital gut lesions, hypospadias, microcephaly, harelip and cleft palate, congenital hip, hemangioma, undescended testicles, polydactyly, conjoined twins and teratomatous malformation, patent ductus arteriosus, amaurosis, arteriovenous fistula, inguinal hernia, umbilical hernia, syndactyly, pectus excavatum, myopathy, dermoid cyst of scalp, omphalocele, spina bifida occulta, ichthyosis, and persistent lingual frenulum. Neonatal death and fetal death/stillbirth in infants with birth defects have also been reported at a rate of <1%. The overall incidence of reported birth anomalies from pregnancies associated with maternal CLOMID ingestion during clinical studies was within the range of that reported for the general population.

If you are currently taking this drug, you have no doubt read the fact sheets and are aware of the risks. The difference is, you know what the possibilities and risks are and you are making your decision based on them. Those of us who unknowingly took this drug (years ago) didn't have this information upon which to base our decision. And, that is why there are lawsuits.

 

[U347464]

Sigh. Now you all are scaring me. I will pray. the power of prayer. No birth defects for my babies.