No Clear Link Between Oral Clefts and Corticosteroid Drugs

Women who are on corticosteroid drugs for asthma or other chronic diseases do not have an increased risk of delivering babies with birth defects like oral clefts. This study has been conducted by the Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen. Lead researcher Dr. Anders Hviid said, "No drug can be proven 100 percent safe. However, our study supports that moderate to large increases in cleft risk can be excluded."

Researchers studied more than 800,000 babies born in Denmark. They found that there was no clear link between mothers who use corticosteroids early in pregnancy and the risk of oral clefts. Although the findings do not prove there is no risk. Animal studies have proved that corticosteroid drugs can cause oral clefts, but whether this holds true for humans is yet to be proved.

These findings will be published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).


Source: Medindia