A dozen Dutch women given Viagra in a now-halted trial to boost the growth of their babies in the womb are waiting anxiously to see how their infants fare after 11 babies in the study already have died, The Guardian reported.
Researchers had been looking into whether Viagra could increase the survival rates of babies who were not growing in the womb, The Daily Mail reported, with the theory that dilating the blood vessels and boosting blood supply to the placenta could promote their growth.
Tests performed in mice proved to be successful, with fetal deaths dropping dramatically when the rodents were given Viagra.
The outcome has been tragic in human tests carried out at several hospitals across the Netherlands by the Amsterdam University Medical Centre.
An independent committee overseeing the research halted the trial after discovering that a number of babies were being born with lung problems, The Guardian said.
Ninety-three women were given Viagra in the trial, with 17 of their babies born with lung problems. Eleven have since died.
Now about a dozen women in the study are still waiting to see how their babies will be affected, or even survive.
A spokesman for Amsterdam UMC said the study was halted when it was discovered that “the likelihood of developing a lung condition was much higher (among Viagra takers), as was the chances of death shortly after birth,” according to The Daily Mail.
A similar trial conducted in Canada has been paused following the outcome of the Amsterdam trial.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.