Using Medications during Pregnancy Is Dangerous

Although nowadays the issue of dangers that taking certain drugs poses for pregnant women is often brought up, it remains a pressing one since many expectant moms continue to take medicines without giving a thought to their possible pernicious effect on the fetus.

The International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published a report that asserts that more than half of expectant mothers make free use of medications.

Some of them, medications controlling epilepsy for one, are certainly advisable, but some other drugs should be avoided as harmful for the fetus. The article says that 6.3 percent of the drugs that are taken are highly pernicious. “These pregnancies were associated with an elevated number of (pregnancy terminations) and babies born with major (birth defects) in comparison with the expected numbers in the population,” the authors conclude.

Among the harmful drugs cited as most often taken during pregnancy are antibiotics, drugs for severe acne, psychiatric drugs that are used to treat depression, and some heart disease cures that are known to interfere with the natural development of the baby in the womb.

Consequently the children of mothers who went for medications while they were carrying their babies show a noticeably higher rate of birth defects.

Scientists underscore the importance of expecting mothers being aware of all the side effects of the drugs they are taking with special consideration for cures for chronic conditions.

Source of the image: sxc.hu/profile/dimshik.