Side effects of isotretinoin and birth defects in the newborn

Regarding the use of drugs, pregnant mothers need to be very careful because some drugs can affect the health of both pregnant women and fetuses, even cause permanent defects in the baby. Did you know that side effects of isotretinoin, a substance used to treat acne, can cause serious birth defects in the fetus?

Isotretinoin has the ability to affect every stage of pregnancy, even before you even know you're pregnant. So what are the birth defects that can be caused by isotretinoin side effects and how serious are you, please join aFamilyToday Health to find out in this article!

What is isotretinoin and when is it indicated?

Active ingredient Isotretinoin (brand-name Accutane ) is included in the drug used by doctor's prescription to treat severe acne cases. This compound is a "member" of the group of retinoids, closely related to vitamin A. Like vitamin A and other retinoids, isotretinoin can have many detrimental effects on pregnant and lactating women. That can affect the baby in the womb.

Although vitamin A has not been recommended for use by pregnant women. But due to not knowing about isotretinoin ingredients , many people still use it in this important period.

The FDA has recently banned the use of isotretinoin due to its dangerous effects on pregnancy and the risk of birth defects in the fetus . However, isotretinoin is present in many different brand names, for example Accutane. If you are pregnant or plan to have a baby in the near future, you need to learn more about the connection between isotretinoin and pregnancy.

Side effects of isotretinoin in pregnant women

If you use isotretinoin during or just before you become pregnant, you may experience serious effects that you cannot expect. Possible problems include:

Miscarriages are very common in pregnant women who continue to take isotretinoin.

This drug also causes serious birth defects in the developing fetus.

Have you used or intended to use isotretinoin for acne? If the answer is yes, here is some important information you need to know about the dangers surrounding using this medicine during or before pregnancy.

Women should be cautious when taking isotretinoin

It is almost impossible to know what kind of effects isotretinoin may have on the fetus. Sometimes a birth defect develops in the womb before you even know you're pregnant. There have been reports of preterm birth and infant mortality in pregnant women taking isotretinoin.

People who should not take isotretinoin include:

Pregnant women

Women are breastfeeding

Women planning to become pregnant

Women do not have a contraceptive method when having sex.

Birth defects in a newborn are caused by isotretinoin side effects 

Isotretinoin causes birth defects in an unborn baby, even if you take them in very small amounts during pregnancy. Birth defects that can result from isotretinoin side effects include:

1. Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is an excess of cerebrospinal fluid in the fetus. Excess fluid can increase pressure on the brain and cause brain swelling. This defect will continue to cause other mental defects as well as brain diseases in the future as the child gets older.

You can learn more about the pathology in the article:  Hydrocephalus in a newborn: causes, signs and treatment .

2. Microcephaly (microcephaly)

This is a physical distortion when a baby is born with a smaller head and brain circumference than usual. This condition can lead to disabilities that affect a child's intelligence and development. Other complications that can arise from a microcephaly include problems with balance and movement as well as possible seizures.

To know more about this disease, please refer to the article: What is a small head disease?

3. Effects on cognitive ability

Use of isotretinoin during pregnancy can cause a lot of serious damage to a child's brain development. This leads to mental and intellectual disabilities such as below average intelligence, learning difficulties and developmental delays. In some cases, the anterior brain of the fetus does not develop due to side effects of isotretinoin, resulting in a defect of the anterior brain division (holoprosencephaly).

4. Physically abnormal

Not only causing intellectual effects to children, isotretinoin can also cause a number of defects in the baby's ears and eyes. Some babies with isotretinoin side effects may experience small ear problems (also known as microtia, a syndrome that occurs when the outer ear is small and doesn't form as it should), and the ear canal is narrow ( stenosis) or are born without ears. Ear defects can cause many problems for a baby, including hearing loss .

In the eyes, isotretinoin can cause the eyes to be separated from each other (hypertelorism) or the eyes are smaller than normal (microphthalmia). In addition, in some cases isotretinoin can paralyze nerves in the face.

5. Open the frog's jaw

An infant's facial deformity and cleft palate are also a consequence of isotretinoin side effects.

You can learn more about cleft palate through the article: Things you need to know about cleft palate and cleft palate in children .

6. Defects in the heart

Isotretinoin also affects the heart development of the baby, causing structural defects of the heart, even in the womb. Babies born are at risk of developing heart defects and diseases such as left cardiac dysplasia, ventricular septal defect or Fallot quadruple .

7. Other defects

When pregnant women use isotretinoin during pregnancy, the fetus is at risk for abnormal thymus function. The thymus is located below the thyroid gland in the upper chest, the main gland of the lymphatic system. The thymus gland transforms the white blood cells needed to protect the body from infection. Defects in the thymus gland can affect a child's immune process.

Other abnormalities that can occur in some babies include a finger defect (syndactyly), a bone defect that affects the legs and spine, along with decreased muscle tone.

The fight against side effects of isotretinoin

In 2005 in the United States, the FDA launched a program to help women become more aware of the harmful effects of isotretinoin during pregnancy. In it, they give some guidelines that women who are or want to have children should follow. Try the following guidelines:

Any woman planning a pregnancy should consult a doctor while taking isotretinoin.

A woman should have a negative result with two pregnancy tests before starting isotretinoin.

If you are taking isotretinoin, you should use effective birth control at least 1 month before taking the pill and for up to 1 month after stopping the pill.

Women who are being treated with isotretinoin should not become pregnant during treatment.

If you are taking isotretinoin to treat severe acne and suddenly find you are pregnant (or want to plan to have a baby in the near future), you should stop taking the drug immediately and notify your doctor. doctor. Talk to your doctor to find the safest solution.