A pill that could increase miscarriage risk

Miscarriage is a devastating experience for any pregnant woman who looks forward to hold her baby in her arms. Whether she loses her baby in the first term,  second term or for that matter even after completion of the full term, the loss is extremely traumatic and catastrophic for her.

It takes several months or sometimes even a year to come out of the mental, physical and emotional trauma of the unfortunate incident. Do read the gut-wrenching account of one woman who had to go through the agony of missed abortion and how she had suffered terrible headaches and nightmares in the period leading to her ill-fated loss.

While such a calamity should never befall anyone, things don't work out as per our wishes and in the event of an unfortunate miscarriage here are some tips and home-remedies to cope up with it.


Miscarriage can be a devastating experience for any woman.

Do vitamin D pills reduce the risk of miscarriage?

Causes of miscarriage can be varied and it's not always possible to prevent miscarriages. But taking some precautions may help reduce the risk. For instance, a study says that Vitamin D may lower miscarriage risk.

So prescribing vitamin D pills for a woman before conceiving could slightly lower the risk. In any case, your gynaecologist is the best judge to decide what's best for you. But then, being aware of current researches in this field might also help you as you can discuss your concerns and fears with your doctor.

Don't pop pills without your doctor's advice

I have mentioned this umpteen times but would want to reiterate once again that you should never pop OTC pills without consulting your doctor when you fall ill during pregnancy.

One study suggests that taking paracetamol in high doses for fever during pregnancy could affect the fertility of your unborn baby girl and increase the risk of infertility and cancer in baby boys. Read the post Is Paracetamol risky during pregnancy? Autism risk due to high fever in pregnancy?

Even taking antacids during pregnancy is linked to increased risk of developing asthma in the offspring. Read more of it in Antacids are also risky during pregnancy.

Don't pop pills without doctor's consultation during pregnancy
Don't pop pills without doctor's consultation during pregnancy

Vaginal yeast infection during pregnancy

One in ten pregnant women develop vaginal yeast infection during pregnancy. Pregnant women are 10 times more prone to yeast infections than non-pregnant women. Yeast infections occur during pregnancy because of rapid hormone changes which in turn  disrupt the pH balance of the vagina.

Common yeast infection symptoms include vaginal itching and a white, thick discharge that looks like cottage cheese. During pregnancy, physicians recommend vaginal creams and suppositories only. However not all vaginal creams and suppositories are okay to use during pregnancy, so it is best to consult your doctor or pharmacist to get the right one.

If left untreated, yeast infections can pass to your baby’s mouth during delivery. This is called “thrush” and is effectively treated with Nystatin. [Source]

pregnant women have miscarriage risk with an oral pill meant for yeast infections

Oral yeast infection pill is not safe during pregnancy

While topical medicines are usually the first thing prescribed for yeast infections, women who don’t improve with this approach may be given fluconazole even though using this drug in pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of certain birth defects including skeletal and heart malformations.

A recent Canadian study has found out that women who take fluconazole, an oral antifungal used to treat vaginal yeast infections, may be more likely to have miscarriages than women who don’t take this pill during pregnancy. Excerpts:

Women who took low doses of fluconazole (150 milligrams) were more than twice as likely to have a miscarriage as women who didn’t use this drug at all during pregnancy, and women who took higher doses of the drug had more than triple the miscarriage risk. 

“Regardless of dosage, oral fluconazole use is associated with the risk of spontaneous abortions,” said lead study author Anick Bérard of the University of Montreal in Quebec.
The drug wasn’t associated with an increased risk of stillbirth, however, and only high doses were linked to heart defects, Bérard noted. 

The researchers say that the recommended treatment of choice in pregnancy for vaginal yeast infections are topical antifungal agents (clotrimazole, miconazole) that are administered via the vagina in the form of cream or vaginal tablet as these have been shown to be safe and effective in pregnant women. As far as possible, oral fluconazole treatment for vaginal yeast infections in pregnant women should be avoided, they further add.

pregnant woman with vaginal yeast infection

Conclusion

Pregnancy comes with its shares of ups and downs. Minor ailments, infections, mood swings as well as major problems are quite common. Popping OTC pills is something which you should avoid at any cost.

Also you should be mindful of the foods that you eat during your pregnancy as that too affects the health of your unborn baby. Those women who go through recurrent miscarriages especially should be more careful and should consult the doctor if they have slightest doubts or concerns about their condition.

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