Parenting & Pregnancy >
Pregnancy
Get a Widget for this title
RSS FeedIs it safe to take aspirin during pregnancy?
Results so far:
| Yes | 19% | 8 votes | Total: 42 votes | |
| No | 81% | 34 votes |
Yes
Write now
Print
Invite a writer™
Add to FavoritesThe day my doctor told me I was pregnant with my first child, one of the first things he told me was be sure NOT to take any Aspirin while I was pregnant. Back then I had no idea why I shouldn't take aspirin while pregnant, and I did not ask. I simply said "OK" and let it go. I now have six children; the youngest just turned three years old. My youngest child is my only daughter and was born 10 years after my youngest son. It was while I was pregnant with her that I finally found out why I should not take aspirin during pregnancy.
I have a friend that has been taking aspirin regularly for years under a doctors supervision due to health problems. Now that she wants a child, she is having complications. She has had four miscarriages in the last 2 years. So I decided to do a little research after asking a few simple questions.
I am not a doctor. I am just a mom of six wonderful children and I hate to see my friend going through so many losses. My research has shown me and my friend a possibility to why she is having these miscarriages, and Aspirin could be the guilty culprit. Aspirin can cause complications during pregnancy. The most important reason not to take aspirin during pregnancy is Reyes Syndrome. Aspirin can cause Reyes Syndrome for children and an unborn fetus. Reyes Syndrome can cause brain damage, liver failure, and possible death. Reyes Syndrome is one reason why a parent should never give their children Aspirin for or following a viral infection.
Another reason why aspirin should not be taken during pregnancy is it increases the risk of placenta abruption. This is what keeps happening to my friend. She has not taken the aspirin since we found this out. Consuming aspirin during pregnancy can also affect the growth of the fetus. That is not all that aspirin can do.
Other than reasons mentioned above; another reason to not take aspirin while pregnant is it can cause a delay in labor and cause bleeding problems for the baby and the mother. Aspirin is not the only pharmaceutical that can cause these complications. Others would include any other NSAID's such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Ketoprofen. These are in Motrin, Aleve, and Orudis. It is best to stick with acetaminophen based pain relievers such as Tylenol.
The reason why asprin can be so dangerous during pregnancy is it blocks a natural hormone called prostaglandin. Prostaglandins are what our bodies produce to contract or relax the cervix. It also is the natural hormone that either constricts or dilates blood vessels. Prostaglandin from pigs is sometimes used to induce labor or cause the cervix to efface when a mother needs a little help.
There are occasions when a doctor may issue a low dosage of aspirin during pregnancy. This is due to certain diseases or disorders a mother may have; such as kidney disease, blood disorders, diabetes, etc. Just like with any other medications, "Ask your physician before taking any type of medication", especially during pregnancy.
Learn more about this author, Kim Saylors.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
In 1990 the FDA started issuing a warning on aspirin that stated aspirin should be avoided during the last trimester of pregnancy due to it causing complications in the fetus and with the delivery. What was and is still left off the bottles of aspirin is that even prior to the last three months of pregnancy aspirin can cause unknown birth defects and problems in fetuses.
Aspirin is an OTC drug that contains salicylate, which should be avoided during pregnancy. Acetylsalicylate, a common ingredient in many OTC painkillers, may prolong pregnancy and cause excessive bleeding before and after delivery. In the early stages of conception this kind of drug has been know to cause miscarriages and may affect the baby's growth.
In only particular cases, and under a doctor's supervision, should aspirin be taken while pregnant. These rare cases are still under debate, but the only reason a pregnant woman should ever take aspirin is when she is at risk for pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a disorder involving sudden high blood pressure, proteinuria (excess of serum proteins in the urine) and a potentially fatal obstetric complication that can lead to irregular blood flow. This can activate platelets and the clotting system, which in turn slows blood flow. The cause is unknown what causes pre-eclamsia, but antiplatelet agents such as aspirin are thought to prevent pre-eclampsia. This condition exists in 2 to 8% of pregnancies and the use of aspirin for this condition is up to the woman's discretion and caution is still strongly advised.
If birth defects and excess bleeding during delivery aren't enough to convince one that aspirin should not be ingested while pregnant,prostagland in blockage will. Prostaglandins are hormone like substances that assist a new born baby's body to start receiving oxygen via their lungs rather then through the placenta. At birth a baby's body has a natural drop in prostagladins levels in some of its blood vessels, causing the circulator system to reroute the flow to the lungs. Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including ibuprofen (such as Advil, and Motrin,), block the production of these prostaglandins. It is especially important that after 32 weeks of pregnancy that these drugs not be ingested. At this point the risk of to the baby's blood flow could be rerouted in the uterus due to the interference by these drugs, and this could cause potentially fatal problems for the baby.
Aspirin, and pretty much anything a pregnant woman chooses to take, should be carefully thought about prior so. Often something that is dangerous to a fetus isn't known about on a massive scale right away, and requires research first. So, the next time a headache occurs, or some of those pregnancy aches and pains, don't reach for the aspirin call your doctor and ask them what is safe, and maybe even do some research online or at the library first.
Learn more about this author, Laura Stahl.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Difference of opinion? Debate now.
- Pregnancy
- Designated parking for pregnant women: Excessive or equality?
- Do women who drink wine get pregnant more quickly?
- Should women consider pregnancy in their 40s?
- Do women feel pressured into losing weight quickly after giving birth?
- Should you find out the sex of your baby before birth?
- Can a Pap smear during pregnancy cause a miscarriage?
