Drugs in pregnancy: thalidomide: practice question

A Pharmacology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pharmacology · Drugs in pregnancy: thalidomide

Sample item

A baby is born with absent long bones of the limbs and flipper-like hands after maternal drug exposure in the first trimester. Which drug is classically responsible?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Thalidomide

Thalidomide taken during days 20 to 36 after conception causes phocomelia, and lenalidomide is similarly teratogenic, so pregnancy prevention programmes apply. Thalidomide is now used in multiple myeloma and erythema nodosum leprosum.

Option by option

  • A. Tetracycline

    Tetracycline causes tooth discolouration.

  • B. Thalidomide (correct)

    Correct. Phocomelia is the signature of thalidomide.

  • C. Phenytoin

    Phenytoin causes fetal hydantoin syndrome.

  • D. Warfarin

    Warfarin causes nasal hypoplasia and chondrodysplasia punctata.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Pharmacology questions

Questions about this Pharmacology question

What is the answer to this Pharmacology question?

The best answer is B, Thalidomide. Thalidomide taken during days 20 to 36 after conception causes phocomelia, and lenalidomide is similarly teratogenic, so pregnancy prevention programmes apply.

Why is "Tetracycline" not the answer?

Tetracycline causes tooth discolouration.

Why is "Phenytoin" not the answer?

Phenytoin causes fetal hydantoin syndrome.

Why is "Warfarin" not the answer?

Warfarin causes nasal hypoplasia and chondrodysplasia punctata.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Drugs in pregnancy: thalidomide in Pharmacology. Thalidomide is now used in multiple myeloma and erythema nodosum leprosum.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Drugs in pregnancy: thalidomide?

Learn drugs as classes, then the exception in each class that an examiner would pick. Then use the flashcards and the other Pharmacology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.