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There is always the tendency to err on the side of caution when it comes to taking any kind of medication or pharmaceutical drugs during pregnancy for the apprehension that it may result in birth defects in the baby. Now, however, research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association says that certain antiviral medications for Herpes may be safe to take during early pregnancy.

Until now, it was unclear whether medications used to treat Herpes and shingles such as antiviral drugs acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir were safe for use during pregnancy.

New research has shown that women may be able to take some of these antiviral medications for herpes and shingles without the fear that this will harm their baby or cause birth defects.

According to the researchers there was no significant link between these anti herpes drugs and any major birth defects.

It was also recommended by the researchers, that the drug that was more widely prescribed antiviral for herpes Acyclovir should be the drug of choice if anti herpes medication was required to be prescribed during early pregnancy.

However, the same reassurance was not given about the other anti herpes drugs Famciclovir and valacyclovir since data regarding these was deemed insufficient.