Pregnancy and medication: “it’s not just any old way”

Pregnancy and medication its not just any old way

The National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) has published the second part of its guide for pregnant women. It allows you to know which medications to avoid during pregnancy and to know who to get information from.

There is nothing trivial about taking medication during pregnancy. The Medicines Agency (ANSM) reminds us on the occasion of the launch, this Wednesday, October 20, the second part of its information campaign on the proper use of drugs during pregnancy. The key message is simple: “Pregnant, medication is not just any old thing!” But after having disseminated it through traditional channels, this time the ANSM opens a dedicated page on social networks (@medicamentsandpregnancy).

On the same subject

In the coming weeks, other new content will be added to this system:

  • A partnership with 3 influencers on Instagram
  • 2 educational podcasts on the risks of medication during pregnancy and their prevention
  • 4 new video interviews: a midwife, a dispensary pharmacist and two testimonials from patients with chronic disease

Finally, a This tool will be made available to healthcare professionals so that they can share the rules for the proper use of drugs during pregnancy with their patients.

To know which drugs are authorized or how to manage an ongoing treatment, the ANSM reminds us: you must be followed by a doctor or a midwife, who are there to take stock of the treatments in progress. Only these health professionals can provide guidance on taking medication during pregnancy.

Good reflexes to adopt during pregnancy

>> Prepare for pregnancy with your doctor or midwife. A pregnancy plan is prepared with his or her partner, but also with their doctor or midwife, in particular when taking long-term treatment. They will take stock of the woman’s state of health and her treatments. They can then decide if necessary to move them towards solutions compatible with pregnancy. Medicines taken without a prescription by the woman and those taken by the partner will also be discussed.

>> No self-medication. Indeed, some drugs, even among the most common, can involve risks for the unborn child. This is for example the case of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or aspirin which should never be taken after the 5th month of pregnancy.

>> Never stop prescribed treatment on your own. The discovery of pregnancy should never lead the woman to decide to stop her treatment on her own or to change the prescribed doses: she could lose the benefits of her treatment or see her symptoms reappear, which is likely to cause problems. endangering her health and that of her baby.

>> Inform all health professionals consulted about her pregnancy. Doctor, pharmacist, physiotherapist, radiologist, dentist… will thus take into account his new state in his care. They will assess the advisability of continuing, modifying or stopping the treatment, in order to guarantee the safety of the patient and that of her unborn child.

Source: Thematic dossier drugs and pregnancy, ANSM, October 20, 2021.

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