In an international medical catastrophe, many pregnant women took a drug called Thalidomide up until 1961, when this use of the drug was halted because it was found to cause severe birth defects. What had Thalidomide been prescribed to treat in these women?

Thalidomide was prescribed to pregnant women to combat the symptoms of morning sickness.

Explanation:

Thalidomide was introduced in the late 1950s as a sedative. The drug was given to pregnant women to combat the symptoms of morning sickness. But use during pregnancy has restricted the growth of limbs of babies, who were born with malformed legs and arms. About 10,000 babies were born with physical defects worldwide until the drug was taken out of circulation in 1962.

In most countries, thalidomide babies have grown to adults, now in their 50s, and no new cases have been reported.