A Review on Pregnancy and Its Therapeutic Considerations (original) (raw)
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Safe and unsafe drugs during pregnancy
Journal of chemical and pharmaceutical research, 2016
During pregnancy various drugs are associated with contraindication, hence their application is limited and dangerous to mother along with fetus. Even though during pregnancy medication is less preferred but in certain cases cannot be escaped to treat the ailments in mother. So herein we discussed the medication that can be used safely during pregnancy along with the drugs which are unsafe or highly contraindicated for both mother and the fetus. The problems or complications may be attributed by possible drug interactions during the pregnancy. We tried to cover all related drugs which are safe or unsafe with their chemical structures and major associated problems. The purpose of this review is to create a list of safe medications which can be taken during pregnancy with unsafe and highly contraindicated drugs as a quick reference for health care professionals.
SAFETY OF OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION IN PREGNANCY. SOMETIMES A DILEMMA
Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are a category of medication which can be consumed by patients without a medical prescription. Because many drugs are available as OTC products and are considered safe to use, pregnant women are using more and more these drugs without medical advice and without knowing the risks to the fetus. The availability of these products and the publicity encourage drug consumption and self-medication, giving patients total control of their complaints. The number of drugs used during pregnancy is continuously increasing and the most used drugs are: analgesics, antipyretics, decongestants, antihistamines, antitussives and expectorants, antacids, antidiarrheal and laxative agents. Most of them don't have a well established safety profile if used during pregnancy. While some can be considered safe to use due to clinical experience, others are considered teratogenic or should be avoided in the first period or last period of pregnancy. Before using any drug in pregn...
In order to simplify the criteria whether a drug can be used during pregnancy or not United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has classified all the drugs into five categories. Categories A and B medications usually are considered safe in humans. Category C drugs have not been definitively shown to be unsafe to human fetuses, but reasons exist to be cautious while prescribing them. Category D drugs are those with evidence of human fetal risk based on previous human studies, but the benefits of treatment prevail over the risks.
MEDICATIONS USED BY PREGNANT WOMEN: ANY SAFETY CONCERNS? Original Article
International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2017
Objective: The use of medications during pregnancy may impose a potential risk to the fetus. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and safety of medications used by pregnant women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic of a major teaching hospital in Malaysia, from January to April 2013. Data was collected via face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Results: Of the 500 respondents in this study, 62% (95% confidence interval, CI: 57.7%, 66.3%) used at least one medication during their pregnancy and 30.8% (95% CI: 26.8%, 34.8%) took the medications during the first trimester. The classes of medications commonly used were analgesics (26.8%), followed by cough and cold medications (18.6%) and medications for gastrointestinal disorders (11.8%). Among the 697 medications used by the respondents during pregnancy, most of them were relatively safe, with approximately 50% being classified under the Food and Drug Administration of the United States (FDA, US)-assigned pregnancy category B. However, seven potentially teratogenic medications were identified, including four antiepileptic drugs and an antimigraine medication which contained ergotamine. Conclusion: This study found that a high proportion of pregnant woman consumed at least one medication during their pregnancy. The use of antimigraine medications containing ergotamine in pregnant women is of major concern as this medication could be obtained without a prescription in some countries, including in Malaysia. Therefore, it is essential for health care professionals to educate and counsel pregnant women on the safety of medications used.
Medications Used by Pregnant Women: Any Safety Concerns?
International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Objective: The use of medications during pregnancy may impose a potential risk to the fetus. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and safety of medications used by pregnant women.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic of a major teaching hospital in Malaysia, from January to April 2013. Data was collected via face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire.Results: Of the 500 respondents in this study, 62% (95% confidence interval, CI: 57.7%, 66.3%) used at least one medication during their pregnancy and 30.8% (95% CI: 26.8%, 34.8%) took the medications during the first trimester. The classes of medications commonly used were analgesics (26.8%), followed by cough and cold medications (18.6%) and medications for gastrointestinal disorders (11.8%). Among the 697 medications used by the respondents during pregnancy, most of them were relatively safe, with approximately 50% being classified u...