02/20 Thoughts On “Can Mom’s Medicine Hurt the Baby?”
I am thankful to Melinda Beck and the WSJ for this article. Two related statistics from the CDC are eye-openers: (1) Over 50% of pregnancies are unplanned. (2) Women experiencing unintended pregnancy with typical use of oral contraceptives is 8%, of condoms is 15%.
Women from puberty through their 40s may potentially get victoria beckham pregnant while on medication. These patients need to ask their doctor and pharmacist: Is this medication safe if I become pregnant? Is there a safer alternative that could be prescribed? Or, do I need a long-acting, highly-effective contraceptive, such as an IUD?
The woman may not know she is pregnant for days, during which she may be taking medications that could be harmful. Organs are formed early in the pregnancy during the 1st 8 weeks of gestation. The medication’s risks versus the benefits must be weighed for both the woman and the fetus.
So, it is prudent for any sexually-active woman to work with her healthcare team to evaluate medication she is using before becoming pregnant.
Gayle Cotchen, PharmD from Duquesne University
Lead Pharmacist, Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA;
Network Facilitator for Women’s Health, American Society of Health-system Pharmacy;
Media Advisor, American Pharmacists Association