Three-quarters of these have limb defects - their arms and legs are shorter, and sometimes missing altogether.

Congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects.

Barry Nace and Thomas Tate, attorneys for the boy and his parents, presented results of animal tests indicating the drug caused limb defects in the offspring.

One out of every 2,000 American babies born each year has a limb defect and about 2.5 percent of babies have birth defects.

Mercury - cerebral palsy, limb defects, mental retardation.

The company argued that epidemiological studies of the effect of the drug in humans had failed to demonstrate that it caused limb defects.

The more common ones included heart defects, cleft palate, cleft lip, club foot and limb defects.

In all cases initially referred to the court there were no previous family histories of limb defect.

Supplementation with folic acid has also been shown to reduce the risk of congenital heart defects, cleft lips, limb defects, and urinary tract anomalies.

"Data suggest it causes birth defects, including facial paralysis and limb defects," Dr. Jain said.