Question

Woman who consumed the drug thalidomide for relief from vomiting during early months of pregnancy, gave birth to children with
A. No spleen
B. Hare-lip
C. Extra fingers and toes
D. Underdeveloped limbs.

Answer 1

The drug thalidomide has been prescribed to many pregnant women in order to relieve pregnancy nausea and it is also used to treat diseases like leprosy, certain types of cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and complications of HIV infection.

Complete answer:-
To answer this question you must know about the effects of thalidomide.
Thalidomide is made to treat the condition like leprosy, inflammatory bowel disease, certain types of cancer, in complication of HIV infections and to relief from pregnancy nausea but it was later found that thalidomide caused irreversible damages to the fetus and so many children were born with several congenital malformation and many of them did not survive more than few days after they were born.
Here is a non exhaustive list of the impacts of thalidomide may have on the fetus when taken by pregnant woman such as bilateral limb atrophy, absence of limbs, total and partial hearing loss or total vision loss, paralysis, malformation of digestive tubes, absence of anus, vital organ injuries etc.
Missing of the spleen is caused by a disorder called isolated congenital asplenia (ICA).
Harelip is the condition which is related to newborn rabbits, called kittens who are born undeveloped with close eyes and no fur.
Extra fingers and toes arise due to the condition called polydactyly in which a baby is born with an extra finger and extra toe.

Thus the correct option of the given question is (D) Underdeveloped limbs

Note :-
The drug thalidomide strictly contraindicates pregnant women or women at risk of becoming pregnant. It is estimated that 15000 children were born worldwide with malformation attributable to thalidomide. The victims also include families of all children, whose lives were severely affected by this tragedy.