That little blue Saturday night special is good for more than jumpstarting a pregnancy. Now, researchers are studying Viagra as a way to reduce premature births by helping babies stay longer in the womb. And so women with growth-restricted babies are being given Viagra .

Growth restriction is the medical term for a baby inside the womb being smaller than expected for the number of weeks of pregnancy. By providing Viagra, the aim is to increase blood supply to the womb and placenta so that more nutrients and oxygen reach the fetus. This helps it to continue growing in the womb, avoiding health problems caused by premature birth.

“If it works, it will be exciting and beneficial for babies affected by growth restriction for whom we currently have no good treatments,” says Dr Jenny Myers, obstetrician and clinical lecturer at St Mary’s Hospital, which is affiliated with the University of Manchester.

Laboratory research in Manchester showed that when Viagra was added to tissue samples taken from pregnant women with fetal growth problems, the drug relaxed the blood vessels, allowing more blood flow.

“With Viagra, we may be able to prolong the pregnancy and allow the baby to mature in the womb, rather than having to deliver very prematurely. If we can get another three or four weeks out of that pregnancy, the baby has a much better outcome when it is born,” says Myers. “There is a massive difference between being born at 25 weeks and at 30 weeks.”

Prematurity may prove to be just as big as erectile dysfunction, pardon the pun. And if that pans out, Viagra will excite Jeff Kinder in new ways.

You can read more in The Daily Mail.[tags]Pfizer, Viagra[/tags]