Pregnant women who take painkillers are more likely to have complications, a study has found.
Aberdeen University researchers found there were higher rates of preterm birth and stillbirth among women who took over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Premature birth was roughly 50 per cent more likely among women who took one of five common painkillers at some point during their pregnancy.
And the study, which looked at more than 150,000 pregnancies over three decades, showed the risk of stillbirth was 33 per cent higher.
Up to eight in 10 mothers-to-be take painkillers to relieve pregnancy symptoms, such as a fever and joint pain.
But there is conflicting advice on which should be taken, with some considered safe and others not.
The NHS says that paracetamol is the ‘first choice’ painkiller for pregnant women but warns against taking high dose aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen.
Aberdeen University researchers argued their findings suggest the current guidance needs an ‘urgent’ update.
Aberdeen University researchers found there were higher rates of preterm birth, stillbirth and neonatal death among those who took over-the-counter pain relief, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen
Up to eight in 10 expectant mothers take painkillers to relieve pregnancy symptoms but there is conflicting advice on which drugs should be taken. The NHS says paracetamol (left) is the ‘first choice’ painkiller for pregnant women but warns against taking high dose aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (right)
For the study, one of the largest of its kind, more than 151,141 pregnancies between 1985 and 2015 were examined.
The team studied the medical notes of women who had taken paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen.
Paracetamol is currently considered safe to use throughout pregnancy.
But high dose aspirin is not recommended for pain relief as it can affect the baby’s circulation, especially after 30 weeks.
And NSAIDs, which the other three all are, are not recommended to expectant mothers because they are known to affect babies’ circulation and kidneys.
The findings, published in the scientific journal BMJ Open, show that overall, three in 10 women (29 per cent) took over-the-counter pain relief during pregnancy.
But the figure was twice as high for pregnancies between 2008 and 2015, suggesting use is ‘growing rapidly’, the researchers said.
Mothers who took at least one of the five painkillers were more likely to suffer complications. This included the risk of their baby having a low birth rate being 28 per cent higher.
The risk of neural tube defects — related to the brain and spine — was 64 per cent higher among mothers who took the drugs, while hypospadias, a birth defect affecting the penis, was 27 per cent more likely.
Neonatal death — when a baby dies within the first four weeks — was 50 per cent higher, results showed.
The researchers warned taking paracetamol in combination with other NSAIDs was the riskiest mixture.
They did not suggest why the drugs caused harm to unborn babies, noting that the mechanism would need to be uncovered in future studies.
Aikaterini Zafeiri, a PHD researcher at the university and lead study author, said expectant mothers should always seek medical advice before taking over the counter medicines.
She said: ‘In light of the study findings, the ease of access to non-prescription painkillers, in combination with availability of misinformation as well as correct information through the internet, raises safety concerns.
‘This is especially when misinformed or partially-informed self-medication decisions are taken during pregnancy without medical advice.
‘It should be reinforced that paracetamol in combination with NSAIDs is associated with a higher risk and pregnant women should always consult their doctor or midwife before taking any over the counter drugs.
‘We would encourage a strong reinforcement of the official advice for pregnant women.’