In utero exposure to mebendazole not linked to major birth defects

Reactions 746 - 10 Apr 1999 In utero exposure to mebendazole not linked to major birth defects There was no significant increased risk of major congenital birth defects in babies born to mothers who had taken mebendazole during pregnancy, compared with babies born to mothers who had not taken the agent during pregnancy in a Sri Lankan study. However, data from the study did show some increase in the rate of major congenital defects in children whose mothers’ had taken mebendazole in the first trimester of pregnancy. The study involved 5275 women (mean age 28.4 years) who had received mebendazole at least once during their pregnancy and 1737 women who had not received any anthelmintic agent during pregnancy (controls; mean age 29.5 years). The rate of major congenital defects was not significantly higher in the children of women who received mebendazole during pregnancy, compared with children of women in the control group: 97/5275 vs 26/1737; odds ratio (OR) 1.24 (95% CI 0.8–1.91). Avoid first trimester use Of the 5275 women who received mebendazole, only 5218 could determine precisely when they had taken the agent. In 407 women who took mebendazole during the first trimester of pregnancy, there were 10 cases of major congenital birth defects; OR 1.6 (95% CI 0.81–3.56). In the study, the rates of stillbirth, perinatal death and very low birthweight were significantly lower in the babies of women who received mebendazole, compared with controls. The researchers acknowledge that the absolute safety of mebendazole therapy in pregnant women...