Medicine and pregnancy

Conception occurs about 2 weeks before a woman experiences a slow period, which means that the actual pregnancy may have been 3 weeks before the woman knows she is pregnant.

(Photo: TTO)

But the period from 2 to 8 weeks after conception is a very sensitive period, the period when the main features of the face and many important organs such as the heart and kidneys begin to form. Anything a woman eats, drinks, or drinks can affect her pregnancy.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a system to classify safety levels of drugs, both conventional and semi-free drugs at drugstores to drugs prescribed by physicians:

- Type A: There is reliable evidence that there is no increased risk of fetal abnormalities, such as folic acid, vitamin B6, thyroid hormone at moderate doses.

- Type B: Animal studies do not show any harm to the fetus but there is no reliable evidence when using it for pregnant women or animal studies have found side effects but no reliable evidence yet. demonstrated risk of pregnancy: some antibiotics, acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspartame (artificial sugar), famotidine (Pepcid), prednisone (cortisone), insulin (for diabetes treatment) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) before the last 3 months. Pregnant women should not take ibuprofen in the last 3 months of pregnancy.

- Type C: Animal studies show side effects but there is no evidence when used for pregnant women or no animal studies and there are not enough reliable studies in pregnant women. Drugs of this category include: prochlor perzaine (Compazine), Suldafed, Fluconazole (Diflucan) and ciprofloxacin (Cipro). Some antidepressants are also in this group.

- Type D: There have been some reliable observational studies in pregnant women that the drug is at risk for pregnancy but because the treatment benefit outweighs the potential risk, that is alcohol, lithium (used to treat Treatment of extreme depression, phenytoin (Dilantin) and most drugs of chemotherapy used for cancer. In some cases, chemotherapy drugs are indicated for use during pregnancy.

- Type X: There have been enough reliable studies or observations on animals or pregnant women and found that drugs or products definitely cause fetal abnormalities. There are contraindications to drug / product use for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. These are the drugs used to treat skin diseases such as acne (Accutane) and psoriasis (Tegison or Soriatane); Sedative drugs (thalidomide) and drugs for miscarriage were used until 1971 in the United States and until 1983 in Europe (Doethylstilboestrol or DES).

Aspirine and many other drugs containing salicylate should not be used during pregnancy. In a few cases, physicians may administer these drugs to women but should be monitored closely. Acetylsalicylate is a very common ingredient in many over-the-counter over-the-counter pain relievers that can make pregnancy longer and may cause severe bleeding before and after a pregnancy. In July 1990, FDA prescribed aspirin and drugs with oral aspirin and rectal form to add a warning in the special label noting to be used in the last 3 months of pregnancy.

In some cases, drugs must be taken even when pregnant and the risk of not being treated.

With the above evidence, the fear of taking drugs while pregnant is understandable and also shows a progressive step in the intellectual level but sometimes there are diseases if not treated enough or completely untreated. can be dangerous or even threatening life.

For example, when infected with a toxoplasmosis parasite (exposed to cat feces, by eating a red meat that is not cooked well or when gardening, touching soil with cat feces), a disease is usually not harmful to children. Children and adults but can cause birth defects in the brain, eyes, heart and many other organs so need to be treated with antibiotics while pregnant.

HIV infection in pregnant women should also be treated with ziđovuine (AZT) because the study shows that the drug reduces the risk of infection to the fetus in HIV-positive mothers and both mothers and their babies. There were no significant side effects other than mild anemia.

Diabetes without treatment increases the risk of miscarriage and the birth of a dead child.

Asthma reduces oxygen in the blood that nourishes the fetus, which can make the fetus less developed and threaten the life of the fetus. High blood pressure increases the risk for the placenta and makes the fetus slow to develop.

There is also a drug that can prevent birth defects in the fetus, for example, not enough folic acid can easily produce children with serious brain or spinal cord problems. Folic acid must be used before pregnancy because these problems can occur very early - when the new pregnancy is 3 - 4 weeks, the time when the woman has not realized she is pregnant. Each day requires 0.4mg of folic acid. Can be used multivitamin or eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, oranges, bananas, milk, legumes, meat organs (chicken liver .).

So it is important for physicians to consider the problem that the benefits of the drug must be greater than the risk for the mother and the fetus.

DAO XUAN DUNG