Safety of Analgesics in Pregnancy

Authors:   Sunali Khanna and Shalini Malhotra

Abstract

During Pregnancy most women experience some kind of pain due to a pre-existing condition or a direct consequence of pregnancy. Untreated persistent pain can have adverse effects on the maternal and foetal health. Since time immemorial optimum therapeutic doses of commonly used analgesics including paracetamol, and aspirin have not been associated with increased incidence of birth defects. Chronic pain management during pregnancy and lactation remains a challenge for clinicians. Moreover, pregnant women are at risk of under treatment for painful conditions for fear about use of drugs in pregnancy. Thus, women and health professionals need to be assured about safety of analgesics and the risks of treating versus not treating pain during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

 

Keywords

Analgesics – paracetamol – pregnancy – breastfeeding

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Safety of Analgesics in Pregnancy