An 18-year-old girl has gone viral on the internet after revealing that her mother took Roaccutane (a medication used to treat acne) during pregnancy. Eduarda Falani, an 18-year-old student, told the story on TikTok and it was soon shared by thousands of people.

A young man talks about his experience after his mother became pregnant while taking Roaccutane – Photo: Reproduction/@eduardafalani/ND

According to the girl, her mother, although she was warned about the risks, took the drug, which is contraindicated for pregnant women due to the possibility of causing fetal malformations in the first six months of pregnancy.

Eduarda herself considered her survival a “miracle from God.” Her survival exceeded doctors’ expectations.

“I was a miracle from God. Medicine doesn’t explain how I survived,” says the student. When she started taking medication, her mother was warned that she would not be able to get pregnant. One of the conditions for obtaining a prescription for the drug was a negative test result for the pregnancy marker Beta-hCG,” says the young woman in her video.

@naosoueduarda

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♬ Tropa do Bruxo – kirtap & Triz

Eduarda says she was born by Caesarean section without any noticeable physical deformities, except for a squint, which was later corrected surgically. From birth it was clear that something was wrong, as she had limited mobility and received bleak prognoses from doctors.

The young woman was diagnosed with paralysis of the cerebellum, a part of the brain that controls various body functions, including motor activity.

However, exceeding initial expectations, Eduarda gradually regained her mobility with the help of physical therapy. The effects of Roaccutane were found to include ligament laxity, hyperextension, missing cartilage, laryngomalacia, heart murmur, astigmatism, myopia, hyperopia, and cognitive delay.

Today, his biggest problems are narcolepsy, which causes excessive sleepiness, and cataplexy, the deep relaxation of muscles during sleep. Eduarda now takes medication and undergoes regular checkups to monitor her complex condition, which stems from the unique circumstances of her pregnancy.

Roaccutane and pregnancy

In October 2015, ANVISA (National Health Surveillance Agency) published a statement explaining to all healthcare professionals the risks of using Roaccutane in relation to pregnancy.

“ANVISA, through this communication, informs and re-emphasizes the important identified risk of teratogenicity. [malformação de bebês]”, in cases of pregnancy, during or one month after the end of treatment with Roaccutane,” the agency writes.

The agency warns that Roaccutane is a drug used to treat severe forms of acne, especially those that pose a risk of permanent scarring or do not respond to previous treatment. It is an effective option that has been used for over 30 years and has benefited over 17 million patients worldwide.

But this is reinforced: It is important to emphasize that Roaccutane may cause developmental problems in children during pregnancy, and it is important to carefully evaluate the risks and benefits before prescribing it to women of childbearing age.

The instructions for Roaccutane contain a recommendation not to become pregnant – Photo: Reproduction/Roaccutane/ND

“The doctor must consider all possible side effects to ensure that the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks, especially in the case of women who may become pregnant,” he writes.

For Anvisa, if pregnancy occurs while using Roaccutane or one month after the end of treatment, there is a high risk of serious problems with the development of the child, which can lead to serious malformations or even lead to miscarriage.

These possible abnormalities in a child can affect various parts of the body such as the central nervous system, face, palate, ears, eyes, heart, thymus and parathyroid glands.

“It is extremely important to avoid pregnancy during and after use of Roaccutane due to the serious risks the drug may pose to the healthy development of the fetus. If you are planning to become pregnant, you should consult with your doctor to evaluate safer acne treatment options,” the recommendation concludes.