Can You Take Ondansetron during Pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a delicate time you are going through. You will have lots of physical and mental changes and you have to be strong enough to face all those. You are under the observation of a doctor and if faces any problem, you should contact him/her. But, you should not take any kind of over-the-counter drugs while pregnant. You will get advice, plans and so on, but don’t follow everything blindly. Self-diagnostic can be deadly this time.
To get relief from nausea and morning sickness, often many would-be mothers rely on ondansetron, like Zofran. But, you should not have that without asking your doctor. There is lots of Zofran birth defects study that you can go through. Though there are several types of advice you will get, it will always be better not to have any medicine while pregnant, without asking a doctor.
What Is Zofran?
Actually, this is a drug that belongs to ondansetron group and it is often prescribed to prevent nausea or vomiting during cancer. Often, cancer treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation therapy can cause such problems. Sometimes, it can happen after surgery. To prevent that, Zofran is prescribed so that it can block the production of serotonin in one’s body that cause vomiting.
Zofran and Pregnancy- What Does the New Study Say?
Zofran and pregnancy 2016 has made lots of studies which have proved that the drug doesn’t pose any direct threat to your pregnancy. According to the latest study in the New England Journal of Medicine has proved that there is no risk for the growth and development of the fetus if Zofran has been taken to get relief from vomiting, nausea or sometimes, hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy.
It is true that initially, in 1984, Zofran was created to treat nausea and vomiting tendencies in the cancer patients who are going through chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but today, this drug is mainly used to treat a pregnant woman. How does it work? This medicine metabolizes in the liver and can work for five to seven hours. This medicine may cause constipation or headaches as the common side effects.
FDA and Zofran
Though there are several studies have proved that there is no potential risk to the fetus if the mother has Zofran, still, FDA hasn’t approved it and also have issued a potential threat against using ondansetron. According to FDA, Zofran is capable of posing a risk of electrolyte imbalance in pregnant women. Apart from that, it is also responsible for causing Serotonin Syndrome which can cause behavioral problems and cognitive changes in the pregnant lady that includes autonomic instability, agitation, confusion, and neuromuscular changes. Therefore, according to FDA, a would-be mother should always stay away from having Zofran.
Whatever it is, whether full of side effects or not, you should not have any medicines without doctor’s consultation during pregnancy. If you are getting tired of nausea and vomiting, you can try certain home remedies. You can carry some essential oil in your purse, like lavender or eucalyptus oil. Try to munch snacks when hungry.
