Can I use over-the-counter (OTC) medication during pregnancy? (Query)

You are not even supposed to take paracetamol or acetaminophen without consulting your doctor during pregnancy.

I am in my first trimester of pregnancy. I have heard that pregnant women can take over the counter medications for common health problems like back pain, cold, cough, etc. However, my friend said that these drugs can cause various health complications, including fetal abnormalities? I suffer from severe back pain and cough. Can I use painkillers and cough medications that are available over the counter? Please help.

Dr Uma Vaidyanathan, Senior Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician, Max Hospital, New Delhi, says One should never take any medications without consulting a doctor. Off late, there have been cases of pregnant women taking over the counter medications for common problems like fever, back pain, cough, etc. However, it is not advised to take even paracetamol or acetaminophen during pregnancy without prescription. Hence, if you have been taking any medications without consulting your doctor, stop now and consult your doctor immediately. Also, avoid these eight common mistakes every pregnant woman makes.

There has been little research on the risk of safety of OTC drugs in pregnant women or the developing fetus. The OTC medications that are commonly taken during pregnancy are for conditions like allergy, respiratory, gastrointestinal and skin condition. While some studies claim that use of medications to deal with cough, pain and stomach complications are considered safe for short-term use during the first trimester [1], it is not advised to take any medications, not even paracetamol without consulting the doctor. According to a 2016 study published in the International Journal of epidemiology has revealed that the use of paracetamol during pregnancy can lead to asthma in infants [2]. Here are 5 tips to avoid cough and cold during pregnancy.

Moreover, one should never take any drugs unless necessary during pregnancy and that too with the doctor s prescription, as these drugs can cross the placenta and harm the fetus along with deploying nutrients required for normal growth and development of the fetus [3]. Also, if you have been taking any medications before pregnancy, always ask your gynaecologist whether it is safe to continue the drugs during pregnancy. Even, multivitamins and iron or calcium supplements must be taken only after consulting the doctor and not over the counter, explains Dr Uma.

References:

1. Servey J, Chang J. Over-the-Counter Medications in Pregnancy. Am Fam Physician. 2014 Oct 15;90(8):548-55. PubMed PMID: 25369643.
2. Magnus MC, Karlstad , H berg SE, Nafstad P, Davey Smith G, Nystad W. Prenatal and infant paracetamol exposure and development of asthma: the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Int J Epidemiol. 2016 Feb 9. pii: dyv366. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26861478.
3. Sachdeva P, Patel BG, Patel BK. Drug use in pregnancy; a point to ponder! Indian J Pharm Sci. 2009 Jan;71(1):1-7. doi: 10.4103/0250-474X.51941. PubMed PMID: 20177448; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2810038.

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