The Relationship Between Pregnancy And Medicines

Pregnancy is often associated with complications. Women are supposed to take extra care of themselves since they are carrying a little one inside. Pregnant women are restricted from many things, and one of the foremost acts they avoid doing is consuming medications without a doctor’s consultation. 

The result of taking medicines during pregnancy is simple: the component present in the medicines can impact the developing baby, which raises questions about over-the-counter drugs. A pregnant woman is recommended to take medicine after the health practitioner’s advice. 

Reasons to avoid medicine during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a special physiological condition, where drug treatment can cause harm when it reaches the fetus. While avoiding medicine completely is impossible because some women enter pregnancy with ongoing episodes and medical problems such as asthma, epilepsy, and hypertension. Also, during pregnancy, new medical problems can be developed, such as thyroid, migraine, and headache can be exacerbated, requiring pharmacological therapy. 

Certain drugs are prohibited for pregnant women because they are harmful to the unborn child. According to the reports, a pregnant lady who ingested ‘Thalidomide’ during her pregnancy gave birth to a child with ‘Phocomelia’.

There are also other problems that are associated with consuming medicines during pregnancy such as low birth weight, preterm birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, and sudden infant death syndrome. 

Medicines to be avoided during pregnancy

Below is a sample of a few drugs that pregnant women should avoid. 

Chloramphenicol 

Chloramphenicol is an antibiotic that can cause serious blood disorder and grey baby syndrome. 

Primaquine 

Primaquine is used to treat malaria. Reports suggest that it is harmful to developing fetuses. Moreover, it can damage blood cells in a fetus. 

Codeine 

Codeine is used to relieve pain. In some cases, codeine is consumed with medical prescriptions as cough medicine. It can lead to defects in newborns.

Trimethoprim (Primsol)

Trimethoprim is an antibiotic drug prohibited during pregnancy because of its negative effects. It can cause neural tube defects which affect brain development in a developing baby. 

Sulfonamides

Sulfonamides, also known as sulfa drugs, are a group of antibiotics medicines used to kill germs and treat bacterial infections. They can cause jaundice in newborns and increase the chance of a miscarriage.

Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and levofloxacin

Ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin are also antibiotics. These drugs cause problems to the baby’s muscles, skeletal growth, and joint pain and cause potential nerve damage in the mother. It has several negative impacts, including life-threatening bleeding, certain heart disease in women, and miscarriage. 

Warfarin 

Warfarin is a blood thinner used to treat and prevent blood clots. It should be avoided during pregnancy if blood clot risks are serious.

Tips to follow for medicines during pregnancy 

Pregnant women need to be alert as they are more prone to health problems and complications. If they follow a few tips, they can avoid some complications and enjoy a healthy pregnancy. Some of the tips are as follows. 

• Some medicines are not safe during pregnancy. So always consult your health gynaecologist before taking them. 
• Eat healthy food, such as fruits and vegetables, that can provide essential nutrients to the body.  
• Tell your health practitioner about your medical history or current medications (if any) when you get pregnant. They will give you better suggestions on whether your medication is safe or not. 
• Make sure your doctor or health practicitioner knows about your pregnancy before prescribing treatment for any health problem. 
• Do not stop taking prescribed medicines before talking to your doctor.
• Think and research before you take any medicine, including prescription medicine, herbal medicine, deity supplements, and vitamins. 

Ask your doctor if you are unsure what to consume and which medication is safe during pregnancy. The rules of pregnancy medications are constantly changing, so be updated with new guidelines. 

Take excellent care of yourself and your baby; Happy Pregnancy!