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Non Prescription Medication |
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Pregnancy Medications -
Treatments
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Non Prescription Medication During Pregnancy.
Is it OK for a pregnant woman to take medicines that don't require a prescription?
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications should be taken with care during pregnancy. Many OTCs contain aspirin, caffeine or phenacetin all should be avoided during pregnancy. Limit your use of cough syrups, which may contain as much as 25% alcohol. Be careful with medications containing ibuprofen, such as Advil, Motrin and Rufen. Avoid newer medicines, such as Aleve and Orudis, until we know more about them and their safety in pregnancy. Read package labels, and ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking anything.
BIRTH CONTROL
I have an IUD and just learned I'm pregnant. What should I do?
Notify your doctor immediately. You will need to discuss whether the IUD should be removed. Most doctors attempt to remove the IUD, if possible. The risk for miscarriage is higher if your IUD is left in place. The risk for ectopic pregnancy is also higher if you get pregnant with an IUD.
I just found out I'm pregnant, and I'm taking birth-control pills. What should I do?
Stop taking the pills, and notify your doctor. Any method of contraception can fail; the chance of failure with birth-control pills is between 1 and 3%. There is a small increase in problems for the fetus if you take birth-control pills while you're pregnant. It is not cause for great alarm, but discuss it with your doctor.
My partner uses condoms and spermicides, and I just found out I'm pregnant. Will the fact that we have been using spermicides hurt our baby?
Spermicides have not been shown to be harmful to a developing fetus.
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