25 Mar 2017

Ministry explores pregnancy test health concerns

1:17 pm on 25 March 2017

Women are making enquiries at government departments over a pregnancy test used in the '60s and '70s that has since been linked to birth deformities.

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Photo: 123rf.com

Government agencies are receiving inquiries from women who used the pregnancy test, Primodos.

It is being investigated in Britain because of growing fears that it caused serious deformities in children, often leading to early death.

The drug was used in New Zealand in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Health Ministry said it had received fewer than 10 calls from women who definitely used the product.

It had been in contact with the company Bayer, which owns the company that manufactured Primodos, asking how many people had used it in New Zealand.

A Ministry spokesperson said Bayer had not yet sent the information, but was promising to do so.