If you’re trying for a baby, stay away from painkillers!

Dr. Richika Sahay | 04 Mar 2022 | 2983 Views |

Any medication we consume has got its own impacts and side effects on our body. Pregnancy is a successful journey in a woman’s life that every woman should be extremely careful throughout the entire phase of 9 months in each and every aspect. Especially in the case of medicines, she should be cautious of what she is in taking irrespective of whether it is prescribed drugs or over-the-counter medications and consult her gynecologist to have a better idea.

If you’re trying for a baby, stay away from painkillers!

any medication we consume has got its own impacts and side effects on our body. Pregnancy is a successful journey in a woman’s life that every woman should be extremely careful throughout the entire phase of 9 months in each and every aspect. Especially in the case of medicines, she should be cautious of what she is in taking irrespective of whether it is prescribed drugs or over the counter medications and consult her gynecologist to have a better idea. The experienced doctors in India IVF clinic, which is the Best IVF Centre in Delhi provide you with a clear picture of dos and don’ts about having medications during pregnancy.A Woman who wants to become pregnant should avoid certain painkillers and arthritis drugs so that she can able to sustain a healthy pregnancy. Failure of which can lead to some adverse effects and create major complication issues with your baby.

Pain Medications to avoid:

• Ibuprofen is the most commonly available Over the counter medication that aids you in relieving any sort of pain in your body, hence it is widely known in the name of ‘pain killer’. These painkillers are the first line medications to be disposed of in your bin to maintain a healthy pregnancy throughout the 9 months period.
• Studies also show that over the counter painkillers can have major effects on sperm production and male fertility.
• In other recent findings, it has been observed that consumption of Ibuprofen in the first trimester of pregnancy can interfere with the development of ovaries in female fetuses.
• Ibuprofen is an NSAIDs(Non-steroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs), that can save a woman from getting her period cramps but this can interfere with ovulation. It is found that these class of drugs can impair the rupture of larger follicle thereby hindering the release of eggs.
• When you are prone to get a fever during the period of pregnancy, paracetamol is the best choice for treating moderate pain or fever.
• Whenever u have minor ache or pain or mild cough it is not necessary to be treated with medications always unless the pain becomes unbearable.
• You should always go for medicines that have the lowest effective dosage in the shortest possible time.
• Isotretinoin, a medication taken for treating acne should be avoided when you are expecting. Thalidomide(Thalomid) taken for a type of skin disease and multiple myeloma should be avoided.
• Consult your General Practitioner or midwives before taking certain antidepressants, Lithium for Bipolar disorder, Phenytoin for seizures, certain chemotherapies for cancer, fluconazole for Yeast infections and Albuterol for asthma.
• Major Opioid painkillers include drugs such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, codeine, and morphine. They might also be found in some prescribed cough medications.
• Opioids render their pain killing mechanism by binding to suitable painkilling receptors in the brain providing temporary pain relief but these pose severe life-threatening complications to both baby and pregnant mother.
• The babies are likely to develop any of the below conditions due to continued usage of painkiller by mother:

Spina bifida ( a condition that affects a baby’s spine development)
Hydrocephalus (excessive fluid in the baby’s brain).
Glaucoma (Increased intraocular pressure in baby’s eyes)
Gastroschisis (a hole in the abdominal wall from which the baby’s intestines stick out).
Congenital heart defects such as Ventricular and atrial septal defects, Pulmonary valve stenosis.

Having known all the harmful effects of painkillers and their side effects, it is better to stay away from these life-threatening medications during your safe journey of pregnancy. Intaking healthy diet with no painkillers and with proper consultation from your GP in the Best IVF Center in Gurgaon can help you out with the successful delivery of a healthy baby.

About The Author

Dr. Richika Sahay

MBBS (Gold Medalist), DNB (Obst & Gyne), MNAMS, MRCOG (London-UK), Fellow IVF, Fellow MAS, Infertility (IVF) Specialist & Gynae Laparoscopic surgeon,[Ex AIIMS & Sir Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi]. Read more about me