Many of us may be used to popping a pain reliever to sort of minor aches and pains, but when pregnant we hesitate to take any kind of medication that is not expressly cleared for use at this time; and rightly so.
One of the common questions that get asked by women is if it is safe to take Tylenol while pregnant or whether Tylenol during pregnancy will result in any kind of negative impact on baby.
The fact is that taking Tylenol in pregnancy is considered safe since it is an effective way to ease pain and lower a high temperature.
Tylenol during pregnancy is indicated if a woman has high temperature – a high fever, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy is considered dangerous for the baby, may result in very serious neural defects or problems such spina bifida.
Also it is often sensible to take a pain reliever rather than suffer pain needlessly, since a woman’s body; already stressed by a pregnancy, could be further stressed by the pain.
Many women find that a severe headache may actually incapacitate them to the extent that they cannot function normally.
In this case it is better to take a pain reliever that is considered safe rather than to suffer the pain which could further debilitate the woman.
Another reason to have Tylenol while pregnant is in situations that would otherwise harm the baby. For instance the pain reliever could be needed to help arrest some symptoms that could cause complications if not controlled.
Also most drugs and their impact upon a pregnancy have not been researched (the obvious reason being that few pregnant women would willingly subject themselves to a process that could potentially harm their baby), but acetaminophen during pregnancy is known to be safe.
Tylenol during pregnancy is very widely used without any kind of adverse effect, however it is important to keep the following in mind when using pain relievers –
- Aspirin and ibuprofen are not recommended for use during pregnancy and are thought to be unsafe particularly during the third trimester. These drugs could cause reduction in the amount of amniotic fluid and it is thought that the anticoagulant agent of aspirin could lead to problems of hemorrhage during the delivery.
- The recommended dosage of Tylenol while pregnant should not be exceeded since overdose could lead to liver damage for the mother as well as the baby. It has also been seen that overdose of Tylenol during pregnancy could lead to certain birth defects in the baby.
- Though acetaminophen, which is the main ingredient of Tylenol is safe to take, any combination drugs such as Tylenol Cold could contain other ingredients which may not be suitable for use during pregnancy so do not use such combination drugs unless your doctor says you can.
- Though extra strength Tylenol is not barred per se, many doctors recommend that it is better to stick to the regular strength formulation for the duration of the pregnancy.
So as long as the above general precautions are followed, Tylenol during pregnancy is considered safe for mother and baby. While Web MD clarifies that no drug can be considered 100% safe in pregnancy, Tylenol while pregnant and certain other drugs are considered safe by and large.
