Illustration of a pregnant woman. – Pixabay
- This Wednesday, June 2, the Medicines Agency is launching a public health awareness campaign for the first time.
- It targets pregnant women and their medication. Because suddenly stopping treatment for epilepsy or diabetes can be dramatic for a future mother. But taking an ibuprofen can also cause a miscarriage.
- To better inform, the agency offers explanatory videos and a site, so that women who wish to have a child, those who are pregnant, but also those around them, can talk to health professionals.
Just because the pregnancy test shows two lines doesn’t mean you should throw out all your pills. Especially if you are taking long-term treatment for
chronic disease. And conversely, taking an ibuprofen can be dramatic.
So that women and their entourage can meet there, theNational Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) is launching an information campaign this Wednesday with the slogan: “Pregnant, drugs, it’s not just any old way”. Campaign that will resonate on the Web, in particular via YouTube videos of
Corentin Lacroix and
Sylvain Bouquet, two general practitioners. But also via a dedicated site,
medicamentsetgrossesse.fr, to find answers to his questions.
7 out of 10 women not sufficiently informed
Because obviously, the French do not yet have the right reflexes. A survey ofViavoice Institute* reveals that only 3 in 10 say they are sufficiently informed about the risks associated with taking medication during pregnancy. “If you look at tobacco or alcohol, we are 7 out of 10 women, nuance Christelle Ratignier-Carbonneil, the director of the ANSM. There is therefore room for improvement… ”
Indeed, “89% of women who plan to become pregnant are self-medication, 36% of women pregnant for the first time, 48% for a second pregnancy and more”, specifies Amandine Messina, of the Viavoice Institute. Another concern: 17% of women who take a long-lasting prescription treatment stop it during their pregnancy, including 29% without talking to a doctor.
A nuanced message for individualized use
However, swallowing a pill such as a Tic Tac to relieve nausea, insomnia or drops in blood pressure can have consequences for the unborn baby. “In France, the consumption of drugs is trivialized, regrets Celine Mounier, director of the ANSM surveillance. On average, 9 drugs are prescribed during the nine months of pregnancy. When in other countries, we cap at two. “We focused the campaign on 4 golden rules: prepare for pregnancy with a caregiver, no self-medication, never stop prescribed treatment on your own, and finally inform all the healthcare professionals who follow you about her pregnancy. In general, we will think of the midwife, but less of the dentist, the pharmacist… ”
“The objective is not to demonize the drug, warns Christèle Ratignier-Carbonneil. But during pregnancy, we wait before taking it and we discuss with our doctor, pharmacist, midwife to decide together what action to take. “
A nuanced message, therefore. Because unlike alcohol and tobacco (for which the message is simple: zero consumption for zero risk), with drugs, things get tough.
Depending on the stage of pregnancy – preconception, early pregnancy, last trimester, breastfeeding, etc. – the list of recommended and prohibited drugs changes. So thefolic acid, prescribed even before pregnancy, “illustrates the interest in talking about your desire to become pregnant with the caregiver, because this lowers the risk of malformations”, underlines Céline Mounier. “But beware, if it is not taken a month before conception, it is useless,” warns Sylvain Bouquet, general practitioner.
In all, 2 to 3% of children are born with a serious deformity in Europe. “The elements we have show that 5% of these 2 to 3% have a relationship with a drug,” says the director of the ANSM. Or an estimate of 800 to 1,200 children in France. But the effects of these dangerous drugs can be discovered years later when autism, hyperactivity, developmental disabilities are confirmed.
A different danger depending on the stage of pregnancy
The danger is not the same depending on the progress of the pregnancy. “The risk of malformations is maximum during the first trimester”, continues Céline Mounier. With for example valproate (an anti-epileptic better known under the name of depakine), and the thalidomide. However, the latter was prescribed during the 1950s and 1960s to pregnant women suffering from nausea … This is why it is in the interest of both caregivers and patients to obtain regular information, because the recommendations may change. “We are only beginning to ask the question of men’s drugs that have an effect on spermatogenesis,” illustrates Sylvain Bouquet.
During the remainder of pregnancy, it is especially sartans (for heart problems) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that should be avoided. In particular ibuprofen, ultra-common pain reliever and available without a prescription. “During the first trimester, these drugs are not prohibited, but are recommended only in necessary cases and on medical advice, explains Emmanuelle Ripoche, epidemiologist at the ANSM. From the second trimester, a single intake can lead to the death of the fetus. “
Should we then fall back on alternative medicine? The ANSM campaign specifies that taking plants is not trivial. “We wanted to alert because herbal medicine is seen as a natural treatment, therefore without risk,” indicates Emmanuelle Ripoche. For homeopathy, some granules contain alcohol, you must also be careful. “” The objective is not to leave women alone with the evils of pregnancy, insists the director of the ANSM. But good to encourage them to discuss with their caregivers. “
* Survey carried out in two stages, November 2019 then November 2020 on approximately 2,000 women.