15 Drugs You Should Avoid if You Are Pregnant or Plan on Getting Pregnant
Excited about getting pregnant? You probably know that things like excessive weight or fibroids could impact your ability to conceive.
What you might not know is that some prescription and over-the-counter medications could also be a hindrance. Your menstrual cycle is highly controlled by the interaction between three entities, which are the brain, uterus, and ovaries (1).
Any health problems you have and medications you take might interfere with this interaction and lower your fertility. Read on to find out more about safe and unsafe medications if you are trying to conceive.
While some medications are safe before or during pregnancy, others might affect your chances of getting pregnant. To begin with, certain medications can affect your ovulation or uterine receptivity. If you are on any prescription drugs, the best option is to talk to your doctor so they can advise you on what to do.
Your healthcare provider will assess whether your medications or even supplements will interfere with your conception. They could offer different ways of managing chronic health conditions during this time in case your medicine could interfere. They may also offer safe alternatives.
1. Thalidomide
Thalidomide is teratogenic, meaning, it can affect embryonic development. This particular drug was initially made to be a sedative, it was later used to treat “morning sickness” in pregnant women amongst other things, but it resulted in children born to the mothers who took the said drug to be born with defective limbs- some were born without limbs, loss thumb and the likes.
2. Tetracycline
Tetracycline can harm the fetus. It affects the bone & teeth development of the baby. It can also cause the teeth of your child to be permanently stained. If you are pregnant or get pregnant while taking this drug, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
4. Ciprofloxacin & Levofloxacin
They are both fluoroquinolone antibiotics. According to a study conducted in 2017, fluoroquinolone may also increase the chances of having a miscarriage. It can also cause problems to the baby’s muscles, skeletal growth as well as joint pains for the mother.
8. Warfarin
This particular drug can cause birth defects and should only be used when the benefits outweigh the risks.
9. Lorazepam
This particular drug is used for treating anxiety or other mental disorders. It can lead to withdrawal symptoms and birth defects in the baby.
10. Bismuth subsalicylate
This particular drug can lead to birth defects.
11. Phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine
Phenylephrine is a decongestant (same as pseudoephedrine) used for short-term relief of nasal congestion from the common cold, sinusitis, and upper respiratory allergies. They are available in several combinations with other over-the-counter cough and cold medications.
If you’re pregnant avoid pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine or medicines that contain them, especially during your first trimester.
14. Albendazole
Albendazole is a drug for treating infections caused by worms. It is anthelminthic. It should not be used during pregnancy as animal studies indicate it can cause fetal harm when used by pregnant women. If you get pregnant while on this drug speak to your doctor immediately. Mebendazole is tolerable not albendazole.
15. Fluconazole
Fluconazole should only be used during pregnancy in the instance of life-threatening fungal infection where the anticipated benefit outweighs the risk if not, an alternative should be used as it may harm the baby or cause spontaneous abortion.
Being pregnant is a very delicate situation, you should be careful about anything you take especially drugs, it’s not just you, even the life and wellbeing of your baby are at stake here.
Always consult your healthcare provider before taking any medication and talk to them about the medications you use already. It is very important.
What you might not know is that some prescription and over-the-counter medications could also be a hindrance. Your menstrual cycle is highly controlled by the interaction between three entities, which are the brain, uterus, and ovaries (1).
Any health problems you have and medications you take might interfere with this interaction and lower your fertility. Read on to find out more about safe and unsafe medications if you are trying to conceive.
RELATED: 12 Health Benefits of Drinking Coconut Water During Pregnancy
How Does Medicine Affect My Fertility?
While some medications are safe before or during pregnancy, others might affect your chances of getting pregnant. To begin with, certain medications can affect your ovulation or uterine receptivity. If you are on any prescription drugs, the best option is to talk to your doctor so they can advise you on what to do.
Drugs You Should Avoid if You Are Pregnant or Plan on Getting Pregnant
Your healthcare provider will assess whether your medications or even supplements will interfere with your conception. They could offer different ways of managing chronic health conditions during this time in case your medicine could interfere. They may also offer safe alternatives.
1. Thalidomide
Thalidomide is teratogenic, meaning, it can affect embryonic development. This particular drug was initially made to be a sedative, it was later used to treat “morning sickness” in pregnant women amongst other things, but it resulted in children born to the mothers who took the said drug to be born with defective limbs- some were born without limbs, loss thumb and the likes.
2. Tetracycline
Tetracycline can harm the fetus. It affects the bone & teeth development of the baby. It can also cause the teeth of your child to be permanently stained. If you are pregnant or get pregnant while taking this drug, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
ALSO READ: Benefits Of Exercising While You’re Pregnant
4. Ciprofloxacin & Levofloxacin
They are both fluoroquinolone antibiotics. According to a study conducted in 2017, fluoroquinolone may also increase the chances of having a miscarriage. It can also cause problems to the baby’s muscles, skeletal growth as well as joint pains for the mother.
5. Primaquine
Is an anti-malaria, animal studies have shown that it can damage blood cells in a fetus.
Is an anti-malaria, animal studies have shown that it can damage blood cells in a fetus.
6. Trimethoprim and Erythromycin
They are antibiotics known as sulfa drugs. They can cause jaundice (yellowing of the eyes) in the baby. And also Trimethoprim can cause neural tube defects which may affect brain development in the developing baby.
They are antibiotics known as sulfa drugs. They can cause jaundice (yellowing of the eyes) in the baby. And also Trimethoprim can cause neural tube defects which may affect brain development in the developing baby.
ALSO READ: Foods To Avoid During Breastfeeding
7. Ibuprofen
Taking high doses of this drug can have dangerous consequences on pregnant mothers like; miscarriage, delayed onset of labor, and jaundice, and it can increase the risk of bleeding for both mother and baby. Ibuprofen should not be used by pregnant women.
Taking high doses of this drug can have dangerous consequences on pregnant mothers like; miscarriage, delayed onset of labor, and jaundice, and it can increase the risk of bleeding for both mother and baby. Ibuprofen should not be used by pregnant women.
8. Warfarin
This particular drug can cause birth defects and should only be used when the benefits outweigh the risks.
9. Lorazepam
This particular drug is used for treating anxiety or other mental disorders. It can lead to withdrawal symptoms and birth defects in the baby.
10. Bismuth subsalicylate
This particular drug can lead to birth defects.
READ MORE: How To Increase Your Progesterone Naturally - Foods That Increase Progesterone Levels
11. Phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine
Phenylephrine is a decongestant (same as pseudoephedrine) used for short-term relief of nasal congestion from the common cold, sinusitis, and upper respiratory allergies. They are available in several combinations with other over-the-counter cough and cold medications.
If you’re pregnant avoid pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine or medicines that contain them, especially during your first trimester.
12. Accutane (Isotretinoin)
Isotretinoin is used to treat a severe kind of acne called nodular acne. Taking this drug during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects in babies. And it is irreversible.
Isotretinoin is used to treat a severe kind of acne called nodular acne. Taking this drug during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects in babies. And it is irreversible.
13. Streptomycin
If you’re pregnant, don’t use streptomycin as it may cause hearing loss in babies born to women who use the drug during pregnancy.
If you’re pregnant, don’t use streptomycin as it may cause hearing loss in babies born to women who use the drug during pregnancy.
14. Albendazole
Albendazole is a drug for treating infections caused by worms. It is anthelminthic. It should not be used during pregnancy as animal studies indicate it can cause fetal harm when used by pregnant women. If you get pregnant while on this drug speak to your doctor immediately. Mebendazole is tolerable not albendazole.
15. Fluconazole
Fluconazole should only be used during pregnancy in the instance of life-threatening fungal infection where the anticipated benefit outweighs the risk if not, an alternative should be used as it may harm the baby or cause spontaneous abortion.
Being pregnant is a very delicate situation, you should be careful about anything you take especially drugs, it’s not just you, even the life and wellbeing of your baby are at stake here.
Always consult your healthcare provider before taking any medication and talk to them about the medications you use already. It is very important.
DR. APPIAH
Dr. Appiah is a Natural Health Therapist (Naturopath) who engages the natural healing agents given by God to save lives. EAT FOOD AS MEDICINE! EAT TO LIVE, DON'T LIVE TO EAT!! FOR BOOKINGS AND MORE: WANT TO ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCTS? WANT A PERSONAL(CERTIFIED) NATURAL MEDICINE PRACTITIONER? REACH ME DIRECTLY ON WHATSAPP +233245643615 appiahinok@gmail.com
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