Pregnancy is a time of significant changes. Your body is taking on the extra burden of growing a baby, and that can affect how your body responds to medications. Many medicines are safe to take during pregnancy if approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but others aren’t.
It can be especially confusing if you’ve always taken your medicine without problems. In this post, we’ll go over some common medications women shouldn’t take while pregnant and why they might cause complications with their pregnancy or baby’s development.
Tylenol
Tylenol is a pain reliever commonly used to reduce fever and muscle aches. It’s a brand name for acetaminophen, one of the main ingredients in many other common over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers such as Anacin, Excedrin, and Fioricet.
Acetaminophen can cause congenital disabilities if taken during pregnancy. Most women don’t realize they are pregnant until 4 to 6 weeks. So this can be a problem if you have been using Tylenol for several weeks before you know you are pregnant.
Tylenol is one of the most trusted brands in the United States, as it has been around for almost 100 years and has been used to treat a wide range of illnesses, including colds and flu. It is also known for being used as a pain reliever and fever reducer by many parents.
However, the Tylenol ADHD lawsuit filed against Johnson & Johnson by parents who claim that their children developed ADHD after taking Tylenol may change how people perceive this product forever. The lawsuit claims that the company’s popular children’s medication is responsible for causing the disorder.
Advil
Advil is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for those who don’t know. FDA warns that the use of NSAID past 20 weeks of pregnancy may lead to low amniotic fluid. The drug is most commonly used for pain relief and fever reduction. It’s also an over-the-counter (OTC) product, which means you can buy it without a prescription from a pharmacy.
While not as common as some other medications that could cause complications in pregnancy, taking Advil during pregnancy can still be dangerous for your baby. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that taking NSAIDs like Advil during the first trimester of pregnancy may increase your risk of miscarriage or congenital disabilities.
The reason for this warning is because NSAIDs like Advil are known to cause harm to an unborn baby if taken during early pregnancy. That said, there isn’t enough evidence to determine whether these risks persist throughout all nine months of gestation.
Benadryl
Benadryl is an antihistamine that can cause drowsiness and dry mouth. This medicine is known to pass into breast milk, so you should avoid it if breastfeeding. If you decide to take Benadryl while pregnant, ask your doctor about the safe dosage. According to CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Benadryl is also responsible for 71% of drug overdose deaths in the US, which is ominous.
In newborns, Benadryl can result in breathing problems and seizures due to its sedative effect on the central nervous system (CNS). During pregnancy or breastfeeding, there are fewer complications associated with Benadryl compared to other antihistamines like diphenhydramine. But these side effects may still occur depending on how much of the drug is transferred from mother to child via breast milk.
Zofran
Zofran is a prescription medication that prevents nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatment. It’s also used in patients with hepatitis B or C and is sometimes given to pregnant women early in their pregnancy for morning sickness.
Zofran is safe to take during the first trimester of pregnancy, but it’s not recommended during the second or third trimester because it can cause congenital disabilities, brain damage, or miscarriage.
Zantac
Zantac is a medicine used to treat heartburn. You can take it as a tablet or pill, a gel cap, a liquid, and a dissolvable tablet. While it’s not known precisely how Zantac causes congenital disabilities, it has been proven that this medication increases the risk of certain complications during pregnancy. These include miscarriage and problems with your baby’s development.
The good news is that you don’t need to stop taking your medication because you are pregnant. Instead, talk to your doctor about whether alternative medicines will work better for you during this time.
Xanax
According to the National Library of Medicine, Xanax or Alprazolam is the most commonly prescribed psychotropic medication in the US. If you’re taking Xanax, you may be concerned about the safety of your unborn baby.
Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs that have been prescribed for anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, muscle spasms, and seizures. They can cause congenital disabilities. Even though they are not considered addictive, they can cause withdrawal symptoms in newborns and other complications for pregnant women or their fetuses.
The FDA lists Xanax as a Category D drug. It could cause problems if taken during pregnancy, but there isn’t enough evidence yet to determine the risks, so talk with your doctor before making any decisions.
Pregnant Women Should Be Careful With These Medicines
There are quite a few medications that can be harmful to your baby. If you’re pregnant, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking any medications during pregnancy. Be sure to tell them if you have allergies or have had a bad reaction from taking particular medicines.
Also, make sure your doctor knows if you plan on breastfeeding after your baby is born. Some drugs may pass through breast milk in small amounts and could also affect the infant.
Conclusion
This concludes our discussion about common medicines that may cause complications in pregnancy. We hope you have found this information helpful and that it will help you make the best decision for your health and your baby’s health.