Drug Information Q&A Q23. Is it safe to take medicines during pregnancy?
Answer
You should not make your own judgments, but rather consult with your doctor or pharmacist as soon as you find out you are pregnant, and take steps to use drugs that have minimal effects.
Explanation
There are many aspects of the effects of drugs on the fetus that are not well known.
Drugs taken prior to pregnancy will not affect subsequent pregnancies or the fetus. Most drugs are excreted from the body within a day or two. However, there are some drugs that remain in the body for a long period of time, so if you are using such drugs, your doctor will advise you to use contraception for a certain period of time.
The main organs of the fetus (nerves, heart, digestive organs, limbs, etc.) are formed between 28 and 50 days after the start of the last menstrual period, which is "early pregnancy". Therefore, during this period, the drugs taken by the mother are particularly likely to affect the fetus.
However, since this is the very early stage of pregnancy, it is possible for a woman to take drugs without realizing that she is pregnant. Although most medications will not affect the fetus during this period, it is very important for women who are pregnant, or who may become pregnant, to be very careful with their medications.
However, it is very important for women who are pregnant, or who may become pregnant, to be very careful with their medications on a regular basis. Long-term use of painkillers in particular can increase the risk of maternal anemia, prenatal and postnatal hemorrhage, prolonged delivery time, dystocia, stillbirth, and weight loss or death of the newborn. In addition, the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, drugs used to treat hypertension, after the second trimester of pregnancy may cause fetal death or serious birth defects.
In these days of information overload, some people are overly concerned about the effects of drugs.
For example, there are cases of women with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma or epilepsy who suddenly stop taking their medications when they become pregnant. If this happens, the mother's body may become unbalanced, and even the fetus may be at risk.
In any case, it is necessary to consult a doctor or pharmacist as soon as the pregnancy is detected, and take measures such as using medications with minimal effects. The health of the mother is the most important thing for the baby. If you are planning to become pregnant, you should also consult with your doctor or pharmacist beforehand.
MINI Column: Be careful about taking too many vitamins
Many women think that it is safe to take vitamins during pregnancy. In the United States, however, a case of fetal malformation has been reported as a result of the use of large doses of vitamin A pills in early pregnancy. Although vitamin A itself is necessary, it should not be taken in excess of the required amount, but rather should be obtained naturally from food.
In addition, more and more women are smoking these days, and it is common to see them smoking even during pregnancy.
The effects of smoking on the fetus are well known: the average birth weight of babies is lower, and premature births and miscarriages are about 1.5 times more common than in non-smokers. This is believed to be due to the nicotine and other substances contained in cigarettes that cause a lack of oxygen to the fetus.
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