Sunset Online Pharmacy

Dutch trial meant to study whether sildenafil, the active ingredient in the brand-name drug Viagra, can prevent children from being born with low birth weight has been halted early amid a wave of tragic deaths. Nearly 100 pregnant women were given the drug during their pregnancy in the trial, and 11 babies later died. The deaths are especially frightening, since the drug is seemingly already being given to expectant mothers around the world. Sildenafil affects the body by dilating blood vessels , making it easier for blood to flow to wherever it’s needed. That attribute has made the drug a successful treatment for erectile dysfunction, but some doctors started speculating it could also help mothers with placentas that don’t easily provide blood (and nutrients) to developing fetuses. The incurable condition, known as intrauterine growth restriction, leads to stunted growth in fetuses that is usually spotted 20 weeks into the pregnancy through an ultrasound. The benefits of maternal sildenafil had earlier been seen in animal trials. According to the Guardian, the trial began in 2015 and was originally set to run until 2020. Three-hundred and fifty women were expected to be recruited from 10 hospitals across the Netherlands, with half receiving sildenafil and half given a placebo. As of last week, when the trial was ended by an independent committee, 183 women had taken part, with 93 receiving sildenafil.   Read More