Doctors often fail to warn patients about drugs that cause birth defects

Patients being put on teratogenic medicines may not be getting the counselling that they need. — Photos.com

Doctors are often failing to inform patients about the risk of birth defects to their potential unborn babies from a commonly used drug to treat epilepsy, according to a literature review by a University of Manchester researcher in the United Kingdom.

The study by PhD student Wejdan Shroukh also reveals that both clinical staff and patients can dangerously misjudge the risk of taking a group of drugs called teratogenic medicines, which are associated with birth defects.