Taking medication while you are pregnant or trying to conceive is, in many cases, unavoidable. But certain medications can lead to complications and cause problems for your baby or yourself. Here are a few things to consider if you are pregnant or planning on getting pregnant in the near future.
1) Talk to your doctor before you start trying to conceive – If you are on any form of regular medication, schedule an appointment with your doctor to review your medication and the risks of taking that medication during pregnancy. Do not believe everything you read on the Internet. Some medications do present certain risk factors, but the risk factors of not taking the medicine might be higher. Only you and your doctor can determine that.
2) Starting new medication – Any time you meet with any doctor during the course of your pregnancy or when you are trying to conceive, make sure to tell her about your current situation and ask about any potential complications. If you are uncertain, also check with your pharmacist when you go to have your prescription filled. Often they will make one last check to make sure everything is in order.
3) Addictive substances – Many doctors prescribe strong pain medications for different purposes during pregnancy. You should not be afraid to take these if your doctor gives you the green light, but you do want to be vigilant to not take too many of these types of medications or make sure you are closely monitored. There has been an increase of babies born with addictions to prescription pain medication. This can be difficult both for the baby and the new Mom to handle. Make sure you follow your dosage plan.
4) Don’t go cold turkey – Many medications need to be weaned out of the system, and quitting cold turkey could really throw you for a loop, physically and mentally. Speak with your doctor and form a plan to slowly stop taking certain antidepressants, strong painkillers, or other forms of medication that could have a withdrawal effect. If your doctor OK’s it, some medications are fine to quit cold turkey, with no side effects.
5) If you are not healthy, your baby will have a harder time – Sometimes it can be scary to continue to take medications that have a long list of possible side effects. If your doctor strongly recommends it, listen to the reasoning. If you are uncertain, get a second opinion. Certain medications like anti-depressants and others significantly improve the mother’s help and that outweighs the risks for many doctors. If you are feeling unwell during your pregnancy and suspect you might be sick, seek out a doctor and get treatment.
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