Because it worked against severe morning sickness.
Thalidomide was supposed to be an effective sedative for pregnant women, but thalidomide caused birth defects and peripheral neuropathy.
For pregnant women to sleep better
Thalidomide
Thalidomide.
Doctors often prescribed Thalidomide to pregnant women to treat morning sickness and as a sedative to assist with sleep. Thalidomide was sold from 1957 until 1961. The product was withdrawn when it was discovered that Thalidomide was teratogenic - causing malformations of an embryo or foetus. Countless babies were born with birth-defects; most notably missing limbs.
It sedated pregnant women, and then it affected the fetus of the pregnant woman which caused birth defects
It Caused Unexpected Damage To The Babies Of Thousands Of Pregnant Women.
Thalidomide was originally used as a light sedative. It proved to be a powerful teratogen, and was withdrawn after having caused a number of very serious birth defects.Interestingly, though, thalidomide can once again be prescribed in connection with the treatment of multiple myeloma. Safeguards are in effect to prevent the distribution of the drug to women who are pregnant, or who could become pregnant.
Thalidomide was originally given to pregnant women who suffered from morning sickness, it is not also used to treat leprosy. Although it often cured women's morning sickness, it actually causes severe limb dis-configurements in newborn children.
Thalidomide was marketed as an aid for nausea and for pregnant women to prevent morning sickness. Thalidomide was withdrawn because it was found to cause birth defects in newborns, such as missing limbs, it also caused peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) in long time users. Thalidomide still being used as a treatment option for various forms of cancer.
Thalidomide, originally prescribed in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a sedative and anti-nausea medication for pregnant women, caused severe birth defects in thousands of infants. Babies born to mothers who took thalidomide often suffered from limb abnormalities, organ defects, and other serious health issues, a condition known as phocomelia. The drug's tragic impact led to stricter regulations on drug testing and approval processes for pregnant women. Its use in pregnancy has since been banned in many countries, although thalidomide is now used under strict controls for certain medical conditions.
It might cause Birth defects in women who are pregnant or women who might get pregnant in the future. It has caused really bad birth defects in the past, and it would probably do so in the future if women who are capable of bearing children are exposed to it.