Can i take Hydrocodone while pregnant?
When a woman becomes pregnant, everything she comes in contact with can potentially affect her growing baby. This includes food, beverages, prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and illegal substances. Because mothers and their babies are so sensitive while pregnant, it is recommended mothers stay as drug-free as possible. Staying drug-free will minimize the possibility of the fetus being negatively affected by medications. However, some mothers may need to stay on certain medications while pregnant if their doctor advises.
Hydrocodone is a prescription medication given to patients to treat their pain. It is classified as an opioid narcotic. If you are wondering if it is safe to take hydrocodone while pregnant, schedule a meeting with your doctor.
Generally, using hydrocodone while pregnant is not recommended because of its status as an opioid. Using opioid painkillers while pregnant can lead to a variety of issues in a fetus and newborn baby. If you are already using hydrocodone to treat your pain and are wondering if you can take it while pregnant, consult with your doctor. Abruptly stopping some medications after becoming pregnant can be worse for the mother and fetus than tapering off the drug.
Prescription opioids during pregnancy
These prescription painkillers, also called opioids, include drugs such as hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (Oxycontin), percocet (Acetaminophen) codeine and morphine. Nearly 30 percent of the Tennessee mothers-to-be in the new study used at least one of these drugs while pregnant, and the associated risks went up if they also smoked or took antidepressants.
The vast majority of pregnant women took short-acting medications, such as hydrocodone or oxycodone. Only 3 percent were on maintenance therapy for addiction to illegal narcotics, such as heroin.
“Some women need to take opioids in pregnancy to improve their infant’s outcome,” Patrick said. For women with opioid dependency, we know that use of maintenance opioids like methadone decrease rates of preterm birth compared to heroin. For these women, neonatal abstinence syndrome may occur in their infants, but it is much better than the alternative, which is preterm birth.
The women prescribed pain killers were more likely to be white and to report having headaches or migraines and muscular or skeletal health problems. They were also more likely to have depression, to have an anxiety disorder and to smoke tobacco.
Forty-two percent of the women prescribed narcotics smoked during pregnancy, compared to 26 percent of the women not prescribed narcotics. The more cigarettes women smoked daily, the more likely she was to give birth to a baby with withdrawal.
Women who use hydrocodone while pregnant are putting their babies at risk for several issues. Effects of hydrocodone on a fetus can result in the following conditions. They include spina bifida, excessive fluid in the baby’s brain, glaucoma, a hole in the baby’s abdominal wall, ventricular and atrial septal defects. Other conditions include; Tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary valve stenosis, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, clubfoot, cleft lip, pre-term birth, and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).
NAS is characterized by the following symptoms: tremors, excessive crying, sleep issues, high-pitched crying, tight muscle tone, hyperactive reflexes, seizures, yawning, stuffy nose, sneezing, poor feeding, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, sweating, fever, and unstable temperature.
Moreover, many of these symptoms can be mistaken for other medical issues, which is why it is important to talk to your doctor if you notice them in your baby.
Remember, you should never take hydrocodone or any other prescription medication unless it is prescribed to you by your doctor. Abusing drugs like hydrocodone may negatively affect the health of a mother and therefore her unborn baby. Symptoms of severe hydrocodone abuse include obstruction of the bowels, breathing trouble, slow or irregular heartbeat, allergic reaction, problems urinating, and vomiting.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder, seek professional assistance today. Midland Pharmacy USA has general resources and information for those curious about the road to recovery and treatment programs available for those looking to live a happier, substance-free life. To learn more about what MidlandPharmacyusa has to offer, you can go online to www.MidlandPharmacyUSA.com or call our 24-hour, hotline at 240-706-7144. Although recovery process may be difficult, MidlandPharmacyUSA promises to be with you each step of the way.
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