Pain Medications Linked to Rare Birth Defects

/3,504 Comments/in , , /by

NSAID birth defectsNSAIDs, including commonly used neck pain medications, have been associated with a small to moderate increase in the risk of a number of birth defects according to new research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The scientists found that prenatal use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications did not cause a major increase in risk but were connected with a small increase in the incidence of oral clefts, neural tube defects, anopthalmia, and a number of other abnormalities. Those taking medications for chronic pain may wish to revise usafe of these drugs prior to conception in order to ameliorate risk.

NSAIDs and Birth Defects

The researchers at the Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in Boston found that problematic pain-relievers included ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen, which many sufferers of chronic neck pain use daily to help manage symptoms. The types of birth defects seen with the use of such drugs included oral clefts, neural tube defects, anopthalmia, micropthalmia, transverse limb deficiencies, amniotic band syndrome, limb body wall deficiencies, and pulmonary valve stenosis. The team of researchers looked at 3173 women who were prescribed NSAIDs, as well as 1452 who used them as needed and assessed the risk of twenty-nine separate birth defect groups. Most of these were not associated with an increased risk following NSAID use but nine types of birth defect did have an increased associated risk.

Specific Risks

The multisite study, which is case-controlled, looked at a number of risk factors, including NSAID use and is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For some birth defects the adjusted odds ratio was 2 or 3, although most fell between 1 and 2 for aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. The highest increased risk was for anopthalmia or micropthalmia with aspirin use (AOR of 3 with a range of 1.3-7.3). These conditions are birth defects affecting the eyes, either the absence of one or both eyes (anopthalmia), or a condition where one or both eyes are much smaller than normal (micropthalmia). Other birth defects with a higher risk associated with aspirin use included anencephaly or craniorachiasis (AOR 2.0), encephalocele (2.1), and amniotic bands (2.5) amongst other conditions. Ibuprofen was associated with risks for anopthalmia (1.9), amniotic bands and limb body wall defects (2.2), as well as other conditions. Naproxen use had an associated increase in risk for encephalocele (2.5), anopthalmia or micropthalmia (2.8), transverse limb deficiency (2.0), and isolated pulmonary valve stenosis (2.4), as well as five other birth defects.

Further Research

Following on from this research it is likely that studies looking at the timing, frequency, dose, and indications for use of NSAIDs during pregnancy will be the subject of further investigation. Such research does not mean that those requiring NSAIDs in pregnancy should simply discontinue use as the stress of pain, and the potential ramifications of uncontrolled inflammation can also be damaging. The small to moderate risk increase should instead be weighed against the benefits of using ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin for chronic pain management. Opioid drugs used just prior to conception or during early pregnancy were also associated with an increase in birth defects (including hypostatic left heart syndrome) in another study, so the options for those in pain are limited.


NSAID Use in Pregnancy

Unfortunately, pregnancy itself can lead to neck pain as inflammation is more common, water retention can cause stenosis, and increased stress along with poor sleep patterns may all increase sensitivity to pain. NSAIDs are often the first thing patients think of when dealing with neck pain, with nearly 23% of the women included in this survey making use of NSAIDs in their first trimester. Such research does suggest that limiting their use is a sensible approach and women may wish to explore alternative neck pain treatments, such as acupuncture, relaxation techniques, massage, and even herbal anti-inflammatories. Of course, doctors’ advice should be sought prior to beginning any such treatment, and doctors themselves are reminded to assess the potential teratogenic effects or reproductive effects of prescribed medications when consulting with women who are planning a pregnancy or are already pregnant. As an estimated 50% of pregnancies are unplanned in the US it is, however, insufficient to start discussing the risks after the fact, and women, and their partners, may see this latest research as a reminder to apply caution before using the NSAIDs associated with birth defects in this latest study.

References


Hernandez RK, Werler MM, Romitti P, Sun L, Anderka M; National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use among women and the risk of birth defects. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012 Mar;206(3):228.e1-8. Epub 2011 Dec 1.

3504 replies
  6. Charlie Davolt
    Charlie Davolt says:

    Hey! Someone in my Facebook group shared this website with us so I came to give it a look. I’m definitely loving the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Wonderful blog and outstanding design and style.|

    Reply
  19. Gabrielle Mitchener
    Gabrielle Mitchener says:

    Awesome blog! Do you have any tips and hints for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you suggest starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there that I’m totally overwhelmed .. Any recommendations? Thanks a lot!|

    Reply
  29. Penney Bennett
    Penney Bennett says:

    We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your web site provided us with valuable information to work on. You have done an impressive job and our entire community will be thankful to you.|

    Reply
  35. live sex cams
    live sex cams says:

    Hey! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this site? I’m getting sick and tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at alternatives for another platform. I would be awesome if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.

    Reply
  48. live sex
    live sex says:

    great put up, very informative. I ponder why the other experts of this sector don’t understand this. You should continue your writing. I am sure, you have a great readers’ base already!

    Reply
  55. buy lip filler
    buy lip filler says:

    Wow, superb weblog structure! How lengthy have you been running a blog for? you made running a blog look easy. The entire look of your web site is great, as smartly as the content!

    Reply
  61. Joann Labianca
    Joann Labianca says:

    What i don’t understood is if truth be told how you’re not really much more well-liked than you may be now. You’re very intelligent. You understand thus significantly in relation to this subject, made me in my opinion consider it from a lot of numerous angles. Its like women and men are not interested until it’s one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your personal stuffs excellent. At all times maintain it up!

    Reply
  74. Shawana Reinard
    Shawana Reinard says:

    You are so interesting! I do not suppose I have read anything like this before. So wonderful to find someone with some unique thoughts on this subject matter. Really.. many thanks for starting this up. This web site is one thing that’s needed on the internet, someone with a bit of originality!|

    Reply
  91. twilight-mailorder
    twilight-mailorder says:

    Thanks for your personal marvelous posting! I actually enjoyed reading it, you may be a great author.
    I will make certain to bookmark your blog and will come back from now on. I want to encourage
    continue your great writing, have a nice day!

    Reply
  95. sex cams
    sex cams says:

    I¡¦m no longer certain where you’re getting your information, but great topic. I needs to spend some time studying more or figuring out more. Thanks for magnificent information I used to be looking for this information for my mission.

    Reply
  127. slot pulsa
    slot pulsa says:

    whoah this blog is magnificent i love reading your articles. Keep up the great work! You know, a lot of people are searching around for this info, you can help them greatly.

    Reply
  152. rdiet
    rdiet says:

    Have you ever considered writing an e-book or guest authoring on other
    blogs? I have a blog based on the same topics you discuss and would really like to have you share some stories/information. I
    know my viewers would enjoy your work. If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me an email.

    Reply
  155. myblogindia
    myblogindia says:

    Attractive element of content. I just stumbled upon your site and in accession capital to say that I acquire in fact loved account your weblog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you get entry to consistently quickly.

    Reply
  178. Dewitt Oree
    Dewitt Oree says:

    I really like what you guys are usually up too. This sort of clever work and coverage! Keep up the great works guys I’ve included you guys to my personal blogroll.|

    Reply
  200. Cletus Gillion
    Cletus Gillion says:

    I wanted to compose you a little bit of observation just to thank you very much once again for these wonderful secrets you’ve shown in this article. It has been simply wonderfully generous of people like you to provide freely what exactly a number of people would’ve advertised as an electronic book in making some profit for themselves, and in particular since you might well have tried it in case you desired. These suggestions as well acted as the good way to recognize that the rest have the identical interest like my very own to figure out somewhat more with respect to this problem. I am sure there are thousands of more enjoyable sessions in the future for many who look into your blog post.

    Reply
  202. Millie Shirley
    Millie Shirley says:

    I’m still learning from you, while I’m making my way to the top as well. I definitely enjoy reading everything that is posted on your blog.Keep the aarticles coming. I liked it!

    Reply
  226. www.katalogmiast.com.pl
    www.katalogmiast.com.pl says:

    You’re so interesting! I do not think I’ve truly read through
    a single thing like this before. So great to find somebody with a few original thoughts on this subject.
    Really.. thanks for starting this up. This web site is
    one thing that is required on the internet, someone with a little originality!

    Reply
  232. Shelby Porter
    Shelby Porter says:

    Thanks for your blog post. I would also love to say a health insurance brokerage service also utilizes the benefit of the coordinators of a group insurance policies. The health broker is given a directory of benefits sought by anyone or a group coordinator. What a broker does indeed is look for individuals or maybe coordinators which in turn best go with those desires. Then he provides his ideas and if all parties agree, the broker formulates a binding agreement between the 2 parties.

    Reply
  236. tinyurl.com
    tinyurl.com says:

    Hello this is kinda of off topic but I was
    wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML.
    I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding experience so
    I wanted to get advice from someone with experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!

    Reply
  248. Replica Celine Handbag
    Replica Celine Handbag says:

    Good website! I really love how it is easy on my eyes and the data are well written. I’m wondering how I could be notified whenever a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your RSS feed which must do the trick! Have a nice day!

    Reply
  251. Lue Pickren
    Lue Pickren says:

    I’ve been browsing online more than three hours nowadays, yet I by no means discovered any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty price enough for me. In my view, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet shall be much more helpful than ever before.|

    Reply
  252. Lanie Kagimoto
    Lanie Kagimoto says:

    Heya i’m for the primary time here. I came across this board and I in finding It truly helpful & it helped me out a lot. I am hoping to give one thing again and help others like you helped me.|

    Reply
  253. Xavier Kraham
    Xavier Kraham says:

    I think that everything composed made a lot of sense. But, think on this, suppose you composed a catchier post title? I am not saying your content isn’t solid, however suppose you added a post title that makes people desire more? I mean BLOG_TITLE is a little boring. You should peek at Yahoo’s front page and note how they create news titles to get people to click. You might add a video or a related picture or two to grab readers interested about what you’ve written. Just my opinion, it might bring your blog a little livelier.|

    Reply
  282. blonde sex doll
    blonde sex doll says:

    Fantastic blog! Do you have any recommendations for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you suggest starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there that I’m completely confused .. Any ideas? Appreciate it!

    Reply
  287. satta matka kurla day
    satta matka kurla day says:

    I have recently started a website, the information you offer on this web site has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work. “Men must be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown proposed as things forgot.” by Alexander Pope.

    Reply
  308. bandar poker online
    bandar poker online says:

    Greetings from Carolina! I’m bored to tears at work so I decided to check out your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I enjoy the information you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how quick your blog loaded on my cell phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, superb blog!

    Reply
  326. Nova Yearick
    Nova Yearick says:

    Hello there I am so happy I found your weblog, I really found you by mistake, while I was searching on Bing for something else, Nonetheless I am here now and would just like to say kudos for a marvelous post and a all round enjoyable blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to read it all at the moment but I have saved it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read more, Please do keep up the awesome b.|

    Reply
  333. bdsm fetish
    bdsm fetish says:

    I¡¦ve been exploring for a bit for any high-quality articles or blog posts on this sort of space . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this web site. Studying this info So i¡¦m satisfied to exhibit that I’ve a very good uncanny feeling I came upon exactly what I needed. I such a lot no doubt will make sure to do not disregard this web site and give it a glance on a continuing basis.

    Reply
  340. sex live cams
    sex live cams says:

    Howdy! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I really enjoy reading through your articles. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects? Thanks a lot!

    Reply
  347. Clyde Stoudt
    Clyde Stoudt says:

    excellent publish, very informative. I wonder why the opposite specialists of this sector do not notice this. You must proceed your writing. I’m confident, you’ve a huge readers’ base already!|

    Reply
  350. Marlon Retherford
    Marlon Retherford says:

    Please let me know if you’re looking for a writer for your weblog. You have some really good articles and I feel I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d love to write some material for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please shoot me an e-mail if interested. Thank you!|

    Reply
  353. situs judi poker
    situs judi poker says:

    Many thanks for this article. I’d also like to express that it can always be hard when you find yourself in school and starting out to create a long credit standing. There are many pupils who are merely trying to pull through and have a good or beneficial credit history is often a difficult factor to have.

    Reply
  354. cheap sex cams
    cheap sex cams says:

    A person essentially lend a hand to make critically posts I might state. This is the very first time I frequented your web page and up to now? I surprised with the analysis you made to make this actual post extraordinary. Excellent activity!

    Reply
  358. posture chairs for office
    posture chairs for office says:

    The wheel is a simple invention that has changed the way we travel. The wheel allows us to move at a much faster pace than walking or running. The wheel has made travel easier and more efficient. It is also a great invention because it allows us to move in all directions. The wheel is made up of four parts: the axle, the hub, the wheel, and the rim. The axle is the part that is connected to the hub. The hub is the part that connects the wheel to the axle. The wheel is the part that is connected to the hub. The rim is the part that is connected to the wheel.

    Reply
  362. brandy vs rum for baking
    brandy vs rum for baking says:

    I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. appreciate it

    Reply
  363. CBD Gummies
    CBD Gummies says:

    I was suggested this website by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my problem. You are amazing! Thanks!

    Reply
  367. Bangalore escort service
    Bangalore escort service says:

    Thanks for expressing your ideas right here. The other element is that each time a problem takes place with a computer motherboard, individuals should not take the risk associated with repairing that themselves for if it is not done properly it can lead to irreparable damage to the full laptop. It is almost always safe to approach your dealer of any laptop for the repair of motherboard. They will have technicians who have an know-how in dealing with laptop motherboard issues and can carry out the right prognosis and conduct repairs.

    Reply
  378. Edmund Barscewski
    Edmund Barscewski says:

    Hello, Neat post. There is an issue along with your website in web explorer, might check this? IE still is the market leader and a good component of people will leave out your fantastic writing due to this problem.|

    Reply
  394. Lead generation course for realtors
    Lead generation course for realtors says:

    I mastered more something totally new on this weight loss issue. A single issue is that good nutrition is tremendously vital while dieting. A big reduction in bad foods, sugary food items, fried foods, sweet foods, pork, and white flour products can be necessary. Holding wastes organisms, and wastes may prevent targets for shedding fat. While specific drugs momentarily solve the condition, the awful side effects usually are not worth it, and they also never give more than a short-lived solution. It’s a known undeniable fact that 95 of fad diet plans fail. Many thanks for sharing your thinking on this web site.

    Reply
  402. Maris Rawle
    Maris Rawle says:

    I absolutely love your blog and find the majority of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for. Do you offer guest writers to write content to suit your needs? I wouldn’t mind composing a post or elaborating on many of the subjects you write regarding here. Again, awesome web site!|

    Reply
  418. insurance.ra6.org
    insurance.ra6.org says:

    I have to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning this site.
    I’m hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future
    as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has
    motivated me to get my own site now 😉

    Reply
  424. Lacy Driesenga
    Lacy Driesenga says:

    I would like to thnkx for the efforts you’ve put in writing this web site. I’m hoping the same high-grade website post from you in the upcoming also. In fact your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own website now. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a good example of it.

    Reply
  430. UV Curing UV Adhesive
    UV Curing UV Adhesive says:

    You can definitely see your expertise within the work you write. The sector hopes for even more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to mention how they believe. All the time go after your heart.

    Reply
  440. buy vyvanse 10mg online
    buy vyvanse 10mg online says:

    What i don’t understood is in truth how you are not really a lot more smartly-liked than you may be right now. You are so intelligent. You realize therefore considerably on the subject of this topic, made me for my part consider it from so many numerous angles. Its like women and men are not interested except it’s one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs outstanding. At all times care for it up!

    Reply
  441. gadget
    gadget says:

    I’m impressed, I must say. Really not often do I encounter a weblog that’s each educative and entertaining, and let me inform you, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Your idea is outstanding; the difficulty is something that not sufficient individuals are speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy that I stumbled across this in my search for one thing referring to this.

    Reply
  479. tinyurl.com
    tinyurl.com says:

    I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting
    my own weblog and was wondering what all is required to get set up?
    I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
    I’m not very internet smart so I’m not 100% positive.

    Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks

    Reply