Pregnancy and Medication

If you are pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant, you should be careful about taking any medication - including drugs and herbal remedies which can be bought over the counter at the chemist shop. If you need advice about the safety of the medicines, please check with your doctor.
Which drugs are safe to take when pregnant?
Drugs have been well studied regarding their safety margin in pregnancy and categorized into:
1. safe in pregnancy (for example Paracetamol)
2. unsafe (for example vitamin A supplements)
However, for many drugs, it is not certain if they are safe or unsafe. So, if you are planning a pregnancy, or if you are pregnant, unnecessary usage medications should be avoided. This includes drugs that you can buy with or without prescription at the chemist. Also, if a drug is herbal or natural, it does not necessarily mean that it is harmless or safe.
Some commonly used drugs that you can buy

• Paracetamol at normal dosage is safe and useful for headaches, backache, and other aches and pains likely to occur during pregnancy


• Anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen, should not be taken normally during pregnancy. They may give rise to some blood vessel abnormality in the developing baby.


• Antihistamines: Chlorphenamine is the safest to use during pregnancy. it is the oldest, and has been in use with good safety record for a long time now. However, it tends to make some people drowsy. Loratidine can be used as an alternative as it is a new generation anti histamine and causes less drowsiness. Doctor's consultation is recommended before taking any medication.


• Laxatives: Constipation is common in pregnancy and you may need to use a laxative if the problem is severe. It is best to try increasing the fibre in your diet and try to increase the amount of fluid you take. If this does not work then start taking fibre supplements such as bran, ispaghula as these are safe in pregnancy. You need to discuss with your doctor if you require something stronger. Some safe laxatives such as docusate or lactulose may be prescribed by your doctor.


• Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine and xylometazoline are best avoided in the early stages of pregnancy. However, try to minimise their use during pregnancy.

Drugs to be avoided in all three trimesters of the pregnancy
• Tetracyclines
• Anti thyroid drugs
• Drugs that can cause dependence (ex - Benzodiazipines)
• Warfarin
• Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor - ACE inhibitors (used in the treatment of Blood pressure)
Conclusion: Your doctor or dentist should always be informed if you are pregnant, or intend to become pregnant. If you are already on regular medications, (for example, diabetes, epilepsy, thyroid problems and high blood pressure), you must discuss this with a doctor before becoming pregnant as soon as you know you are pregnant, If you have an unplanned pregnancy. In some cases, your doctor may do a risk benefit analysis with you to assess if the risk of taking or not taking the medication outweigh its potential benefits.

Source: EzineArticles.com