NAFDAC recommended that pregnant women should:
- Not use NSAIDs at 20 weeks or later unless specifically advised to do so by your health care professional because these medicines may cause problems in your unborn baby.
- Read the patient information leaflet to find out if the medicines contain NSAIDs because many OTC medicines contain NSAIDs
- ask a pharmacist or health care professional for help If you are unsure if a medicine contains NSAIDs.
- Consider other medicines such as paracetamol which are available to treat pain and fever during pregnancy. Talk to your pharmacist or health care professional for help deciding which might be best.
For healthcare professionals, NAFDAC said they should:
- Limit prescribing NSAIDs between 20 to 30 weeks of pregnancy and avoid prescribing them after 30 weeks of pregnancy.
- Limit use of NSAID to the lowest effective dose and shortest duration possible If NSAID treatment is determined necessary.
- Consider ultrasound monitoring of amniotic fluid if NSAID treatment extends beyond 48 hours and discontinue the NSAID if oligohydramnios is found.
“The above recommendations do not apply to low dose aspirin (75mg to 81mg) prescribed for certain conditions in pregnancy,” NAFDAC stated.
Source HealthNews.Ng
