The use of Accutane in pregnant women has been linked to serious birth defects including: fetal brain and heart defects, mental retardation, and other birth abnormalities. The FDA has over 2,000 reports of women becoming pregnant while using Accutane with most of these women opting for an abortion to prevent the potential of a child with serious birth defects.
The FDA has counted approximately 200 Accutane related birth defects, but it is widely believed that this number is significantly underreported. The advocacy group Public Citizen has said that 25 percent of babies born to mothers taking Accutane have serious birth defects and 50 percent are mentally disabled.