Medications during pregnancy:
The pregnancy period is divided into three trimesters: Each semester is approximately three months long and is as follows:
Chapter One:
From the time the zygote is formed, it lasts up to three months. These are the most critical periods. Since it is the period of formation of members, In which most cases of deformities occur, Therefore, it is preferable not to use medications during this period, except for safe and necessary ones.
Chapter II:
It lasts from three to six months, It is the least critical period, but some medications and chemicals that may cause birth defects or death of the fetus must be avoided. Some organs continue to grow and others begin to form during this period, such as the face and limbs.
Chapter III:
From six to nine months, During this period, most of the organs are complete, except for the sexual organs and the brain. Therefore, it is prohibited to use hormones or medications that affect the level of those hormones. Psychotropic medications, tranquilizers, drugs and alcohol should also be avoided, as they lead to mental retardation or a brain problem that may kill the fetus before or after birth.
Medications allowed during pregnancy:
- Medications allowed during pregnancy: Folic acidIt is given (5 mg) daily, especially during the first three months of pregnancy, as it prevents anemia in the mother and prevents neural tube defects in the fetus, such as spina bifida. Also Vitamin B12 Vitamin D is important for supporting the development of the child’s nervous system and skeleton. Eating enough vitamin C also helps improve iron absorption from the diet.
- In case of asthma: It is preferable to use bronchodilator sprays, such as cortisone and Ventolin sprays.
- Cold symptoms: It is preferable to give paracetamol, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as: (Aspirin – Ibuprofen – Diclofenac) may cause kidney and heart damage to the fetus. Its relaxing effect on the uterine muscle may delay the birth date of a pregnant woman. The kidneys of unborn babies produce most of the amniotic fluid. So kidney problems can lead to low levels of this fluid. Amniotic fluid provides a protective cushion and helps the fetus’ lungs, digestive system and muscles develop.
- Diabetes: Oral hypoglycemic agents can cross the placenta and reach the fetus, leading to low blood sugar levels in the fetus. On the other hand, insulin does not reach the fetus and thus does not lead to a decrease in its sugar levels. Oral hypoglycemic agents are also unable to control a pregnant woman’s diabetes level.
- Antibiotics:o
- Safe medications include: Amoxicillin, Azithromycin, and all forms of Erythromycin.
- You should avoid:
- Clarythromycin. Quinolones.
- Tetracycline – Tetracycline, which affects the formation of teeth and bones and leads to permanent discoloration of the fetus’s teeth after birth if used late in pregnancy.
- In case of depression:
- Amitriptyline.
- Nortryptiline.
Dangerous drugs:
- Vitamin A derivatives are medications used to treat acne and some skin diseases such as psoriasis. As it causes severe fetal deformity, It includes the entire face and central nervous system.
- Some epilepsy medications cause spinal cord abnormalities such as: valproic acid، As for the drug phenytoin, it causes a group of birth defects that include various organs of the body, such as the face and limbs, and it is called phenytoin infant syndrome.
- Medicines used to treat hyperthyroidism cause congenital hypothyroidism in the newborn.
- The drug Thalidomide, which caused a disaster in the 1960s that led to the birth of thousands of deformed people in Europe.
- Warfarin: It is used as an anticoagulant, as it causes warfarin syndrome in children (in which children suffer from facial deformities, especially the nose, with mental retardation). Using warfarin in early pregnancy can affect the baby’s bones. And also on facial growth. There are also potential effects on learning and behavior in children who were exposed to warfarin in the womb. Warfarin use in early pregnancy has been linked to an increased chance of miscarriage. Later in pregnancy it can increase the risk of bleeding in the baby’s brain.
Prepared by: Dalal Edriss
References:
- https://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine–pregnancy/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK583009/#:~:text=Some%20of%20the%20birth%20defects,the%20baby’s%20spine%20or%20skull).
- https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/vitamins-and-supplements-during-pregnancy
- https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-recommends-avoiding-use-nsaids-pregnancy-20-weeks-or-later-because-they-can-result-low-amniotic#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20Food%20and%20Drug,the%20baby%20and%20possible%20complications.