Editing Thalidomide (section)

=== Quality of life ===
In the 1960s, thalidomide was successfully marketed as a safer alternative to [[barbiturate]]s. Due to a successful marketing campaign, thalidomide was widely used by pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, thalidomide is a [[teratogenic]] substance, and a proportion of children born during the 1960s had thalidomide embryopathy (TE).<ref name="Wadman e0210222">{{Cite journal |vauthors=Newbronner E, Glendinning C, Atkin K, Wadman R |date=16 January 2019 |title=The health and quality of life of Thalidomide survivors as they age - Evidence from a UK survey |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=e0210222 |bibcode=2019PLoSO..1410222N |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0210222 |pmc=6334953 |pmid=30650111 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Of these babies born with TE, "about 40% of them died before their first birthday".<ref name="40 years later: the health related">{{Cite journal |vauthors=Nippert I, Edler B, Schmidt-Herterich C |date=2002 |title=40 years later: the health related quality of life of women affected by thalidomide |journal=Community Genetics |volume=5 |issue=4 |pages=209–16 |doi=10.1159/000066691 |pmid=14960874 |s2cid=29641011}}</ref> The surviving individuals are now middle-aged and they report experiencing challenges (physical, psychological, and socioeconomic) related to TE.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2011-11-03 |title=What's happened to Thalidomide babies? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-15536544 |access-date=2025-02-11 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Thalidomide survivors still struggle 60 years on – DW – 11/27/2021 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/thalidomide-babies-birth-defects-caused-by-a-harmless-pill-60-years-ago/a-59952155 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=dw.com |language=en}}</ref>

Individuals born with TE frequently experience a wide variety of health problems secondary to their TE. These health conditions include both physical and psychological conditions. When compared to individuals of similar demographic profiles, those born with TE report less satisfaction with their quality of life and their overall health.<ref name="Wadman e0210222" /> Access to healthcare services can also be a challenge for these people, and women, in particular, have experienced difficulty in locating healthcare professionals who can understand and embrace their needs.<ref name="40 years later: the health related" />