A new study published in BMJ Journals has called into question the safety of painkiller use during pregnancy.
Led by researchers at the University of Aberdeen in the UK, the study found that newborns are 1.5 times more likely to experience health complications if their mothers use over-the-counter analgesics during pregnancy.
For context, there are currently four over-the-counter analgesics available for purchase in the United States– acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, according to the National Institute of Health.
It is common for women to endure symptoms such as fever, inflammation, and tenderness during pregnancy.
In turn, many women– between thirty and eighty percent worldwide, according to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology– use over-the-counter medicines to curb pregnancy ailments.
Yet, this study– which examined data from over one hundred and fifty thousand pregnancies between 1985 and 2015, found that the drugs may significantly impact birth outcomes.
The researchers believe they discovered a link between analgesic use during pregnancy and increased risk of preterm deliveries, stillbirths, or neonatal deaths, as well as physical defects as compared to expectant mothers who did not use these painkillers.
In fact, the study found that stillbirths are thirty-three percent more likely, while neonatal deaths are fifty-six percent more likely.
Additionally, mothers are fifty percent more likely to experience a premature delivery (before thirty-seven weeks).
Other findings include a fifty-seven percent greater likelihood of newborns being admitted to the neonatal care unit and a nearly thirty percent greater chance of newborns weighing under 5.5 pounds.
The study's lead author, Aikaterini Zafeiri, described how over-the-counter painkillers' easy accessibility to pregnant women is a cause for alarm.
"In light of the study findings, the ease of access to non-prescription painkillers, in combination with availability of misinformation and correct information through the internet, raises safety concerns," Zafeiri said.
To combat these risks, Zafeiri believes that pregnant women should avoid self-medicating without a prior medical consultation at all costs.
"Pregnant women should always consult their doctor or midwife before taking any over-the-counter drugs," Zafeiri underscored.
To read the researchers' complete findings, visit the study linked here.
Read more stories like this on ChipChick.com
Her Boyfriend Is Super Close With His Mom And It’s Weirding Her Out
If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: read Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe