Precautions for Medication Before Pregnancy
What should prospective mothers pay attention to before pregnancy? When experiencing illnesses such as colds and stomachaches before pregnancy, how can medication be taken without affecting pregnancy? Let's take a look at the 7 precautions for medication before pregnancy!
1. Try to avoid medication
During the 3-6 months before pregnancy, both the husband and wife should avoid using drugs such as morphine, chlorpromazine, antipyretic analgesics, ciprofloxacin, ketoconazole, erythromycin, and rifampicin to avoid affecting the quality of the fertilized egg.
2. Medications to be used by women with caution
Hormones, certain antibiotics, antiemetics, anticancer drugs, sleeping pills, etc., will have a certain degree of impact on reproductive cells. Generally, it is safer to conceive after stopping medication for one month, but many drugs have a longer impact time. Women with a history of long-term medication must consult a doctor to determine the safe time for conception.
3. Medications to be used by men with caution
Antihistamines, anticancer drugs, caffeine, morphine, steroids, diuretics, aphrodisiacs, etc., can not only cause birth defects in newborns, but also lead to delayed development and abnormal behavior in infants. The maturation cycle of sperm is about 2 months, so during this period, it is advisable not to take such medications.
4. How long to stop medication before getting pregnant
If long-term use of contraceptive devices and oral contraceptives, it is recommended to wait for 6 months after stopping medication before getting pregnant. However, many drugs have a longer impact time, so the specific situation varies from person to person. Please consult a doctor.
5. Be cautious with "contraindicated during pregnancy" drugs
Women who need to take medication by themselves during the planning period of pregnancy should avoid taking drugs with the words "contraindicated during pregnancy" in the instructions.
6. Be cautious with traditional Chinese medicine
Because traditional Chinese medicine is a compound drug, its impact on reproductive cells is not easy to detect, and many people always believe that traditional Chinese medicine is warm in nature and harmless to the body, and even casually go to the pharmacy to grab medicine for use.
7. Unexpected pregnancy during medication
If you have taken medication without knowing that you are pregnant, do not rush to terminate the pregnancy. Because there is a relatively safe period for medication during pregnancy (the first three weeks before menstruation stops and before the embryo is formed), and some drugs have very little effect on the embryo. At this time, what you need to do is to inform your doctor about the medication situation in detail. The doctor can comprehensively analyze whether it is necessary to terminate the pregnancy based on the type and nature of the medication, the stage of embryonic development during medication, the dosage and duration of medication, etc.
To ensure the health of the fetus and prevent any adverse effects, the safety of medication before pregnancy must be a concern for both prospective parents. Understanding the precautions for medication before pregnancy mentioned above is beneficial and harmless.
Precautions for Medication Before Pregnancy
1. Sleeping Pills
Sleeping pills can cause damage to the physiological and reproductive functions of both the husband and wife. Drugs such as diazepam, zopiclone, and propiomazine can affect the secretion of pituitary gonadotropins. Excessive use by the prospective father can lead to impotence, spermatorrhea, and decreased libido; prospective mothers may experience menstrual disorders or amenorrhea, which can affect fertility. If insomnia occurs, it is best to solve it by enhancing physical fitness and regulating daily routines, rather than relying on medication.
Recommended waiting period: It is generally safer to conceive 3 months after stopping the medication.
2. Weight-loss Drugs
Although the effects of weight-loss drugs on pregnancy in women have not been conclusively determined, fat is closely related to female reproductive capacity because the body fat of women converts male hormones into female hormones and provides energy required for childbirth. From this perspective alone, women planning to conceive should also be cautious when taking weight-loss drugs. Additionally, some weight-loss substances do have toxic side effects on the body.
3. Oral Contraceptives
Oral contraceptives are hormonal contraceptives. If pregnancy occurs after stopping the medication or during the medication, it can easily cause fetal malformations. Male condoms should be used as a contraceptive method before planning pregnancy. Doctor's recommendation for stopping medication: Stop taking oral contraceptives 6 months before pregnancy, wait for the drugs in the body to be completely eliminated before getting pregnant.
4. Other drugs that should not be taken casually
1) Cordyceps sinensis: Many people rely on its health benefits and use it as a soup ingredient for a long time. However, Cordyceps sinensis can cause allergies, resulting in rashes, itching, menstrual disorders or amenorrhea, and even chronic renal insufficiency, manifesting as headaches, irritability, and limb redness and swelling.
2) Poria cocos: Poria cocos is boiled with turtle soup, and people in Guangdong believe it is the most effective soup for removing dampness and detoxification. However, Poria cocos contains polysaccharides, ergosterol, proteases, fatty acids, etc., which can cause allergic reactions and occasionally cause skin redness and swelling, wheals, bronchial asthma, and abdominal pain.
3) Pangolin: It is a precious Chinese medicinal material with the effects of promoting blood circulation, lactation, reducing swelling, and draining pus. However, the scales of pangolins contain cholesterol, saturated fatty acids, and fatty amide compounds, which can cause liver damage if used improperly.
4) Motherwort: It has the effects of activating blood circulation, regulating menstruation, diuresis, and reducing swelling, but it may cause miscarriage.
Of course, the drugs that should not be taken before pregnancy are not limited to the above mentioned. The specific situation varies from person to person. In order to ensure the health of the baby, prospective parents should be cautious about drugs that should not be taken before pregnancy and medication contraindications. If medication is indeed needed due to physical condition, it is advisable to consult a doctor before making a decision.
