Trial of Viagra for fetal growth restriction is halted after baby deaths

A Dutch trial using sildenafil (Viagra) to try to correct fetal growth restriction has been halted after 11 babies subsequently died.

An interim review by an independent committee of the STRIDER trial, which had randomly assigned 183 pregnant women to take sildenafil or placebo, showed that lung complications were more common in the babies born to women given the drug. Of these women, 17 had babies with lung problems: 11 of those babies have since died, compared with three in the placebo group, none of whom died.

A statement from …