Whose mother most likely took thalidomide while pregnant because she was unaware its potential to harm her baby?
A) Dean, who has a heart defect
B) Martin, who has deformed arms and legs
C) Jerry, who is deaf
D) Lewis, who is severely mentally retarded

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Thalidomide was a medication prescribed to pregnant women in the 1950s and 1960s to ease nausea and insomnia, but it was later discovered that it caused severe birth defects in babies such as deformed limbs. Therefore, Martin, who has deformed arms and legs, most likely has a mother who took thalidomide while pregnant, as his condition is consistent with the effects of thalidomide exposure. The heart defect in option A is not a typical effect of thalidomide. Deafness in option C is not usually associated with thalidomide, and severe mental retardation in option D may have several potential causes unrelated to thalidomide.

Whose Mother Most Likely Took Thalidomide While Pregnant Because She