Mom: Did Terbutaline Cause Children's Health Problems?

Los Angeles, CAPrior to the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) recent announcement about terbutaline sulfate, some people may not have given Terbutaline side effects a second thought. Like Lisa H. (real name withheld), some women may have been given terbutaline during pregnancy to hold off preterm labor, but not realized that they or their babies may have suffered Terbutaline sulfate side effects.

"I was pregnant with twins and at 24 weeks, I went into preterm labor," Lisa says. "They gave me a terbutaline shot and I was admitted for two to three days, during which they kept giving me shots. After that, I was put on bed rest and at least once a week for five weeks, I had to go in for a terbutaline shot. At about 29 or 30 weeks, they put me on the terbutaline pump at home. I delivered at 35 weeks.

"This was in 2003. My daughter has a non-verbal learning disorder, akin to Asperger's. She had five out of the seven characteristics to be deemed autistic. Her twin brother has major sensory issues. For example, he'll swear that lukewarm water is burning him and that running your fingers through his hair hurts him. He constantly has to touch things and crumple things up. If we go grocery shopping, he has to touch everything, and if he can't, he gets really agitated.

"I was at an Asperger's support group and I mentioned that I have a third child—I wasn't on terbutaline when I was pregnant with him—and he doesn't have any of those issues. Someone asked in the group what medication I was on when I was pregnant with the twins and I told them it was terbutaline. Turns out, four out of 12 of us at the meeting were on terbutaline while pregnant.

"In 2006, I was hospitalized for a kidney infection and the doctor heard a murmur in my heart. I was sent to the cardiologist who said I have a sticky valve, which I had never heard before.

"I didn't think anything of it until the same Asperger's group member mentioned heart damage. A mom in the group is a nurse and she told me that the FDA issued an announcement about terbutaline, so I looked into it. It was remarkable how many women in the group were on terbutaline. I wouldn't have known anything about it if the nurse hadn't told me.

"I've had some health problems that I think are linked to the heart murmur. I went to the doctor last week because of problems with breathing and chest pain. But I'm curious about if the terbutaline caused the issues my twins have. I don't believe in the whole 'vaccinations cause autism' thing, but it's curious that I was on terbutaline for so long with the twins and they both have issues, but my third child doesn't.

"I just wonder if there is a link to the neuropsychological development. It would be nice if something caused my daughter's autism that someone would help pay for the therapy. It's expensive raising an autistic child. She has sessions four times a week because she has difficulty functioning."