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In the April issue of Prescrire International: unborn children still exposed to NSAIDs

FREE DOWNLOAD In the Adverse Effects section of the April edition: results of a French study showing that around 5% of unborn children in France are exposed to prescribed NSAIDs, including about 1% from the 6th month of pregnancy. And these numbers exclude self-medication. Authorities need to send out a stronger message: "NEVER USE NSAIDs DURING PREGNANCY".
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Summary

  • A study based on data from France's mandatory health insurance system estimates that about 5000 to 6000 women per year in France are prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs from the 6th month of pregnancy, excluding self-medication.
     
  • NSAIDs may increase the risk of spontaneous abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. There are also concerns over a link with congenital heart defects. In the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, NSAIDs can provoke sometimes irreversible fetal renal failure, premature closure of the ductus arteriosus and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. NSAIDs can also cause bleeding in the pregnant woman and the unborn child.
     
  • This exposure could probably be reduced if health authorities communicated and repeated the simpler, much stronger message: "NEVER USE NSAIDs DURING PREGNANCY".

Full text available for free download.

 ©Prescrire 1 April 2017

"Unborn children still exposed to NSAIDs" Prescrire Int 2017; 26 (181): pp. (Pdf, free)
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