To date, specialists have accumulated sufficient experience regarding the adverse effects of drugs on the development of the fetus and newborns. The most dangerous drugs with a teratogenic effect (the development of congenital malformations in a future baby).
Medicines that are contraindicated in pregnancy can have their effect at any time of pregnancy, but the greatest amount of reliable information was obtained by monitoring the effect of drugs during the period of organogenesis (from 18 to 55 days) and during fetal development and growth (after 56 days) .
Much to our regret, teratogenic action in humans is difficult to predict, based on experimental data, which were obtained on animals. For example, hypnotic thalidomide is a real teratogen, and in due time this drug was often prescribed to pregnant women around the world. At all thus at behavior of experiments on animals any teratogenic effect has not been revealed.
Among other things, the detection of these complications of drug treatment is also complicated by the natural background of fetal anomalies that are associated with other causes (alcoholism, ecology, viral infections, etc.).
There are a large number of drugs that are potentially dangerous from the point of view of teratogenesis, and the effect of which is manifested when there are favorable factors for this. Therefore, when prescribing drugs for women in the childbearing period, it is necessary to assess the existing risk and correlate it with the benefits of using the drug during pregnancy. It is also important to exclude pregnancy if drugs with teratogenic properties are prescribed.
Based on the results of the data obtained after experiments on humans and mainly on animals, drugs in modern times are classified according to the degree of risk to the future child in some countries (Australia, USA). Medicines are divided into categories from A, which are safe, to D, which are dangerous to prescribe during pregnancy.
Also the category X is allocated - these drugs are absolutely contraindicated to pregnant women. This is due to the fact that the risk from the application is much greater than the benefit due to the low therapeutic effect.
List of drugs from category X:
- antidepressants;
- hormonal contraceptives;
- antihypertensives (chlorothiazide, reserpine);
- a number of antibiotics (tetracycline, streptomycin);
- vitamin A, if the dose exceeds 10,000 IU per day;
- analgesics (indomethacin, aspirin).
Partially contraindicated following drugs:
- some vaccinations (although harm from the use of vaccines in pregnancy is not proven);
- drugs that cause side effects, and are prescribed by the doctor only when it is necessary for the health of the pregnant woman;
- insufficiently researched preparations (the risk from application is not proved, but also not refuted).
It should also be borne in mind that a woman can not use not only medicines during pregnancy, but also a number of herbs. For example, a blueberry, mother-and-stepmother, comfrey, magnolia, juniper, stekhnia, etc.
Before taking the drug, the pregnant woman should carefully study the annotation, because there necessarily indicate whether it is possible to use this drug during pregnancy and during lactation. For reliability, you can consult a specialist.
When prescribing drugs and determining the dose, the doctor must take into account not only the effect on pregnancy, but also the effect of pregnancy on the effect of drugs. This is due to the fact that during pregnancy changes in absorption, distribution and excretion of drugs. In addition, during pregnancy, the concentration of proteins changes, the volume of extracellular fluid, in the third trimester changes the work of the kidneys and liver, and they participate in the process of processing and removal of drugs.
Acceptance of contraindicated funds should be stopped during the period of pregnancy planning, both for women and men. When pregnancy occurs, care must be taken: follow the doctor's recommendations and beware of uncontrolled intake of medications.