- Anticonvulsants that are used to prevent epileptic seizures. These could be phenytoin (Dilantin) and carbamezapine (Tegretol). Defects in babies such as mental retardation and heart and face deformities are associated with these drugs
- Coumarin based anticoagulant drugs prescribed for the treatment of heart disease and stroke to slow blood clotting if taken during early pregnancy can cause facial malformations in the baby as well as mental retardation. Taken later in pregnancies it can cause uncontrolled bleeding
- Isotretinoin (Accutane) and etretinate (Tegison) are taken to treat psoriasis and chronic acne. If taken during the organ development stage of pregnancy they can cause malformations
- Aspirin, ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory and non-steroidal drugs can increase the risk of uncontrolled bleeding for both mother and child and if taken in later pregnancy they can interfere with the hormone production needed to induce labour
- Premature labour can be caused by pregnant mothers taking antimigraine drugs like ergotamine and methysergide
How Various Drugs Impair Prenatal Development
Mostly all illegal drugs are a risk to pregnant women and some legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco are also dangerous. Some medical drugs can pose a risk too.
Alcohol
For pregnant women alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs particularly early on in pregnancy as the risks of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) are heightened. Alcohol chemically breaks down to a compound which damages cells and is absorbed by the fetus. FAS includes abnormalities in facial features, a small skull (microcephaly), heart defects and these conditions often accompany impeded growth and mental retardation. Heavily drinking later on in pregnancy can also cause growth retardation. Light to moderate drinking may or may not produce these conditions in babies but medical experts advise that it is best to avoid drinking alcohol completely during pregnancy to limit any risks of newborn babies having defects.
Tobacco
It is thought that smoking in pregnancy can cause premature labour and miscarriage but the biggest danger is hindered fetal growth. The nicotine in cigarettes suppresses a pregnant woman’s appetite at a time when a woman should be gaining weight. Smoking also prevents the lungs from absorbing enough oxygen. The combination of a lack of oxygen and nourishment can result in a low birth weight or the baby not growing as fast as it should.
Cocaine and Methamphetamine
These drugs are powerful stimulants affecting the central nervous system. They suppress the expectant mother’s appetite, cause blood vessels to constrict, cause the heart to beat faster and blood pressure to soar. Again the fetus’ growth can be hindered and the risks of premature birth and miscarriage are drastically heightened. Also another condition known as abruptio placentae can occur which is the partial separation of the placenta from the uterus wall which causes bleeding. If cocaine or methamphetamines are taken later on in pregnancy the baby could be born with a drug dependency and withdrawal symptoms like sleeplessness, tremors, muscle spasms and feeding difficulties. Some medical experts think that it can also cause learning difficulties later on in an infant’s life.
Medications
A pregnant woman should always consult her doctor or midwife before taking any drugs including over-the-counter medicines. There are lots of medications that have side effects and some are harmful during pregnancy. However, some medicines, although they pose a danger, have benefits that outweigh the risks. The following is a list of medical drugs which should be avoided or if used, done so with extreme caution.