Is it safe to use balms, sprays, lotions, inhalers, ayurvedic medicines, over the counter medicines, homeopathic medicines and nutritional supplements while pregnant?
Ans. Regarding the ayurvedic, homeopathic and over the counter drugs, most of the times, we do not know the contents, how they will interfere with the other allopathic medicines, or whether any safety studies were done on human fetuses. So it is advisable to avoid these medicines. As far as other medicines are concerned, it is prudent to ask your prescribing doctor whether to continue them during pregnancy. For example, inhalers for asthmatic patients may be continued, but steroid inhalers may be discontinued, depending on the physician’s advice.
Gynecologists put women on certain medicines anyway, which they recommend during pregnancy. Which are those medicines?
Ans. Gynecologists prescribe some medications in pregnancy like iron, calcium, and folic acid supplements, which are given to one and all. Some other medications given are progesterone & amino acid supplements, uterine relaxants, etc depending on the various complications in pregnancy.
During which trimesters are various kinds of medicine not advisable? Does it correspond to which organs are being developed during the trimester?
Ans. During the first trimester i.e. the first 3 months of pregnancy, it is advisable to avoid any medications, except when absolutely necessary. Folic acid is a prenatal vitamin which is necessary for brain development of the baby, and should be taken regularly before and during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Some medicines which are extremely harmful during pregnancy are contraindicated; you should check with your gynecologist before taking any of these medicines.
Is it recommended that the mum should opt for a healthier lifestyle during pregnancy, which in turn may help her to cut down on medicines?
Ans. There is no alternative to a healthy lifestyle & healthy balanced diet in pregnancy. The calorie requirements for pregnancy are different, and the diet should be adjusted accordingly. It is important to have a diet that is rich in protein, calcium and iron. Green leafy vegetables provide folic acid, which helps in the brain development of the baby. Chicken, fish, mutton and eggs are also a healthy source of proteins. A vegetarian diet is normally deficient in proteins. Pregnant women who are vegetarian have to find alternate sources of good protein to meet the requirements of pregnancy such as dairy products, pulses, sprouts, etc.
How do medicines which the mother takes affect the baby during breastfeeding? Keeping that in mind, which are the medicines which should be taken and not taken? Should a wet nurse be arranged for if the mum has to take too many medicines?
Ans. Most of the drugs taken during breastfeeding pass through mother’s milk into the baby. It is always advisable to check with your gynaecologist and pediatrician about the safety of drugs taken during lactation.
Should a mother opt for surrogacy if she has to take medicines which she cannot quit while being pregnant?
Ans. It solely depends on what illness the mother is suffering from, whether curable or not, whether compatible with pregnancy or not, how prolonged her treatment is going to be, and what kind of medical complications she has. The decision for surrogacy should be individualized. For example, a woman with a cardiac disease, which could get worse if she was pregnant, should be an ideal candidate to go for surrogacy. Other examples of candidates for surrogacy are women with bleeding disorders, liver and kidney dysfunction, diseased uterus, absent uterus since birth or a removed uterus due to previous surgery.
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