During pregnancy, drug treatments should be used with vigilance. What are the possible remedies to calm pain when you are pregnant? Here are the official recommendations concerning paracetamol in pregnant women.
Taking medication during pregnancy must always be done with the agreement of a doctor, midwife or a pharmacist. Certain drugs, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, are not recommended, especially from the 6ᵉ months of pregnancy, recalls the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM). What about paracetamol ?
Paracetamol and pregnancy: What are the official recommendations?
The ANSM specifies that “Paracetamol can be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding”. The use of any medication must always be endorsed by a doctor, a midwife or a pharmacist who prescribes it to the pregnant woman “at the lowest possible dose possible, during the shortest possible duration and at the most reduced frequency as possible”, Can we read in the “Pacetamol” file of the ANSM published on February 8, 2024. It is usually used to relieve light to moderate pain linked to pregnancy or lower fever. However, it is recommended to consult a health professional in the event of pain and fever, as these symptoms can be a sign of a pathology requiring medical management.
What are the risks to take paracetamol during pregnancy?
Admittedly, paracetamol remains usable during pregnancy, but this medication is not without danger. Beyond pregnancy-related precautions itself, this medication can cause serious undesirable effects. The ANSM warns that he “may have other side effects, including serious liver lesions in certain cases of overdosewhich can lead to liver transplants “. These risks particularly concern repeated sockets in high doses, associations with other products containing paracetamol or alcohol consumption, which increases toxicity for the liver. This is why self -medication is strongly discouraged: in case of persistent or fever pain, a medical advice is essential in order to adapt the treatment and to dismiss any danger.
What are the consequences on the fetus?
The National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products specifies that “the many data relating to pregnant women do not show a risk of malformation or fetal/neonatal toxicity”. She adds that “several studies have studied risks on child neuro-development, but the results are discordant”. In conclusion, paracetamol can therefore be used in pregnant women, always with the advice of a healthcare professional and in small doses.
- Paracetamol. ANSM. February 8, 2024: https://ansm.sante.fr/dossiers–hematics/le-paracetamol
