On Wednesday June 2, the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) launched an awareness campaign intended to remind the correct use of drugsduring pregnancy : “Pregnant, medication is not just any old thing”. According to Ansm, between 800 and 1,200 infants are born malformed every year because of a inappropriate medication. Only three out of ten women say they are sufficiently informed about the risks associated with medication during pregnancy, reports the survey “Medication and pregnancy: practices and perceptions of young mothers, pregnant women or women with plans to become pregnant” carried out by the Viavoice institute for Ansm between November 2019 and November 2020.
This survey also reveals that more than a third of pregnant women continue to use their medicine cabinet during pregnancy to relieve nausea or back pain. While women often choose drugs sold without a prescription, they are a quarter to be drawn from boxes of drugs sold on medical prescription.
–
Four golden rules
For safe use, the Medicines Agency sets out the four golden rules to be followed to the letter for nine months: prepare for pregnancy with your doctor or midwife, do not self-medicate, do not stop only its treatment and inform all health professionals consulted.
–
Some medicines, even the most common ones, can have risks for the unborn child. “This is the case, for example, of drugs in the class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or aspirin which should never be taken after the 5th month of pregnancy,” recalls the Ansm.
Be careful, women taking chronic treatment and discovering their pregnancy should inform their doctor as soon as possible. “It is he who 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. If necessary, he will refer the woman to health professionals. specialized “, underlines the Ansm.
—
