No doubt, Viagra has played at least a supporting role in the conception of countless babies. But now, the drug may assist both mothers and babies while the children are still in utero. Thanks to its blood vessel dilating properties, sildenafil may be able to relieve some of the effects of a condition known as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which can lead to premature birth and related complications.A new study set to launch in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Netherlands and the UK will track the treatment of pregnant women with Viagra and measure the benefits for both mother and child.
Although the study is the largest of its kind to date, apparently the treatment isn't a recent innovation. Director of the Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), Professor Lousie Kenny, said that "Over the last 15 or 20 years there has been an enormous amount of safety data collected on the safety of Viagra in pregnancy. It has even been given on a compassionate basis to some mothers whose babies are small and it has been found to work well." Who would have thought so many expectant mothers were on the blue pill?
