Using Medication without Knowing You’re Pregnant
The effect of medications on pregnancy is often not studied due to the risk of harming the pregnancy. However, it is generally known that using medication during the first months of pregnancy is unlikely to harm the baby. But it cannot be guaranteed that there is no risk at all. Understanding the effects of the medication until birth is difficult, and its effects may manifest years later.
You should always consult a doctor regarding medications used during pregnancy. Unfortunately, some expectant mothers make decisions to use medication without consulting a doctor, which can lead to the termination of the pregnancy.
The medications used can have different effects depending on the individual’s genetic makeup, meaning that side effects may vary for each person using the medication. Whether the pregnant person has another illness and the other medications they are taking also affects the risk of side effects. Pregnant individuals with other illnesses (such as heart, kidney, or liver disease) may have a longer duration of the medication in their bodies when they use it, leading to a higher risk of side effects.
Medication Use During Pregnancy
The most commonly used medications during pregnancy are anti-nausea drugs, antacids (medications that reduce stomach acid), antihistamines (medications used for allergy symptoms), analgesics (pain relievers), antibiotics, tranquillisers, and sleeping pills. Although almost 100% of medications used during pregnancy pass from the placenta to the baby, it is stated that only a very small portion of the medication causes unwanted conditions in the baby.
Medications that should never be used during pregnancy include:
- ACE inhibitors
- Danazol
- DES (Diethylstilbestrol)
- Tetracycline (antibiotic)
- Androgen hormones
- Etretinate
- Thalidomide (No longer produced)
- Medications used in cancer treatment
- Isotretinoin
- Rubella
- Epilepsy medications such as Carbamazepine, Trimethadione, Phenytoin, Valproic acid
- Lithium (A medication used in psychiatry)
- Coumarin and its derivatives
- Methimazole
- Radioactive iodine
- Avoid CT (Computerised Tomography) scans and radiation exposure.
Organ formation is completed in the first three months of pregnancy. The subsequent periods are periods of growth and development and cover a period with a slightly lower risk for medication use. Therefore, unless necessary, medication use should be avoided during the first three months of pregnancy.
Medications that can be used during pregnancy include:
- Aspirin
- Pain relievers
- Anti-rheumatic drugs
- Antifungal medications
- Antiviral drugs
- Parasitic medications
- Blood pressure medications
- Asthma medications
- Epilepsy medications
- Diabetes medications
