Betty was born with deformities of the arms and legs, as well as damage to her heart and kidneys. She scores below average in intelligence. Based on the damage to the developing organism, you could conclude that Betty's mother took __________ while pregnant.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Thalidomide was a drug commonly prescribed during the 1950s and 1960s to help pregnant women with morning sickness. Unfortunately, it was discovered that the drug caused severe birth defects, such as limb deformities and damage to internal organs, when taken during pregnancy. Given the deformities of Betty's arms and legs, as well as the damage to her heart and kidneys, thalidomide is the most likely drug that her mother took during pregnancy. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) was another drug that caused birth defects when taken during pregnancy, but it typically resulted in vaginal cancer or infertility in female offspring, rather than limb deformities. Accutane and aspirin have also been associated with birth defects, but not the specific set of abnormalities seen in Betty.

Betty Was Born with Deformities of the Arms and Legs