There’s no such thing as safe drug for a pregnant woman to take. Virtually every prescription drug could cause birth defects- and yet half of all women in their first trimester have been handed a prescription by doctors who have ignored official warnings, a survey has discovered this week.
Many of the women were taking up to four medications – including OTC (over-the-counter) preparations from the local pharmacy – during their first trimester. Most of the prescription drugs were antidepressants.
Overall, up to 80 per cent of women in their first trimester were taking some OTC or prescription drug.
The level of drugs being prescribed during the first trimester has increased by 60 per cent over the past 30 years, researchers from Boston University’s Slone Epidemiology Center have discovered after reviewing a survey of 30,000 women.
This increased usage ignores all the official guidelines, which warn against the use of prescription drugs by pregnant women, especially during the first trimester when the fetus is at risk.
(Source: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2011; doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2011.02.029).
