National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Fetal minoxidil syndrome


Other Names:
Minoxidil antenatal exposure; Minoxidil antenatal infection
Categories:
Fetal minoxidil syndrome is a group of symptoms that may be found in a newborn when a mother has taken minoxidil (Loniten) during pregnancy.[1] Minoxidil is a medication that can be used to treat hypertension (increased blood pressure) and alopecia (hair loss).[2][3] A few cases of maternal use of minoxidil have been published in the medical literature with findings of neonatal (newborn) hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) that gradually resolves during the first six months of life.[1] Other symptoms have been reported, such as congenital heart defects; neurodevelopmental anomalies; and gastrointestinal, kidney, and limb malformations. More studies are needed to determine the potential risks to the fetus during pregnancy.[4]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides safety information on minoxidil.
Last updated: 10/27/2016

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Clinodactyly of the 5th finger
Permanent curving of the pinkie finger
0004209
Cryptorchidism
Undescended testes
Undescended testis
[ more ] 		0000028
Depressed nasal bridge
Depressed bridge of nose
Flat bridge of nose
Flat nasal bridge
Flat, nasal bridge
Flattened nasal bridge
Low nasal bridge
Low nasal root
[ more ] 		0005280
Generalized hirsutism
Excessive hairiness over body
0002230
Low-set, posteriorly rotated ears 0000368
Micrognathia
Little lower jaw
Small jaw
Small lower jaw
[ more ] 		0000347
Umbilical hernia 0001537
Ventricular septal defect
Hole in heart wall separating two lower heart chambers
0001629
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.

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  1. Fetal minoxidil syndrome. Orphanet. June 2016; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?Lng=GB&Expert=1918. Accessed 10/24/2016.
  2. Minoxidil Topical. MedlinePlus. 09/01/2010; https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a689003.html. Accessed 10/24/2016.
  3. Minoxidil Oral. MedlinePlus. 2/15/2015; https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682608.html. Accessed 10/24/2016.
  4. Carlo Smorlesi, Adele Caldarella, Laura Caramelli, Simonetta Di Lollo, Flavio Moroni. Topically applied minoxidil may cause fetal malformation: A case report. Clinical and Molecular Teratology. December 2003; 67(12):997-1001. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=14745922.