Pregnancy is a beautiful phase of a woman’s life. A woman matures in herself during this phase. It has some tough moments also, such as morning sickness, back pains and other bad symptoms. During pregnancy, many women undertake medicine. Some medicines can cross the placenta and reach the baby. This transplacental transmission can either be beneficial or harmful for the growth and development of the baby. It all depends upon the type of medication prescribed by the doctor and at which stage of pregnancy a woman takes it.
During pregnancy, a woman undergoes several changes and even deals with stress. The hormonal changes are found to be associated to bring upon unwanted aches and pains in her body. This is the reason the pregnant woman is under medication to relieve this pain. One such medication used is Tramadol.
In this article:
Tramadol
Is taking Tramadol Makes it hard to Get Pregnant?
Tramadol and Birth Defects During Pregnancy
Can Tramadol Cause a Miscarriage in a Pregnant Woman?
Other Painkillers Safe During Pregnancy
Effects of Tramadol
Tramadol and Other Pregnancy Complications
Will the Baby have Withdrawal?
All You Need to Know About Taking Tramadol During Pregnancy
Tramadol
Also called Ultram, known for treating moderate to severe pain in pregnancy. The mechanism of action of this drug is by affecting the balance of mood chemicals in the brain. This drug is often given to patients who have undergone any surgery or are badly injured. It can also be used as a recreational drug but at a high dose, it can be employed as a painkiller.
Is taking Tramadol Makes it hard to Get Pregnant?
Research shows that tramadol makes it quite hard to get pregnant for a woman.
Tramadol and Birth Defects During Pregnancy
Tramadol is found to cause preterm delivery. However, in women using opioids during pregnancy has shown increased chances for pregnancy complications like growth retardation, stillbirth and fetal distress during labor. As such no confirmed risk for a birth defect with tramadol use. It is completely safe to take in the first trimester. However, there are chances to develop birth defects such as heart defects and clubfoot.
Can Tramadol Cause a Miscarriage in a Pregnant Woman?
Miscarriage can happen at any time of pregnancy. There is only a piece of small known information on tramadol and miscarriage. There are no higher chances that miscarriage can be due to tramadol use.
Other Painkillers Safe During Pregnancy
Following painkillers are considered to be safe during pregnancy :
- Acetaminophen – Most commonly used painkillers. It is a drug of choice for fever, headache or any kind of muscular pain. No prescription is required.
- NSAIDs –Ibuprofen is a basic example of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used in the treatment of headache and fever.
- Opioid Painkillers –Other than Tramadol, Morphine, and Codeine are potent painkillers. However, various studies have shown that these are not many safe drugs to be used during pregnancy.
Effects of Tramadol
Most common side effects of tramadol are :
- Dizziness
- Nausea along with vomiting
- Constipation
- Dryness of mouth
- Drowsiness
- Sweating
Some of the Serious Side Effects are as follows
- Serotonin Syndrome: This include fast heart rate, high blood pressure with an increase in body temperature, lack of coordination, diarrhea, and hallucinations
- Shortness of breath
- Physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, sleep trouble. increased blood pressure, watery nasal discharge, watery eyes, chills, dilated pupils
- Adrenal Insufficiency
- Seizures
- Addiction
- Androgen Deficiency
Tramadol and Other Pregnancy Complications
Women who use opioids during pregnancy have higher chances to develop pregnancy-related complications like poor growth of baby, stillbirth and premature delivery. It has been observed a woman who takes drugs such as heroin or takes a greater amount of medication than the prescribed amount is prone to develop complications. Use of opioids during the time of delivery may cause withdrawal symptom in the baby
Will the Baby have Withdrawal?
There is a risk of developing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) by Tramadol and other opioid medication. NAS describes withdrawal symptoms in newborns due to medication intake by the mother during pregnancy. It usually begins in the first week of life with irritability, vomiting, fast heart rate and muscle stiffening. Other symptoms are breathlessness, poor feeding, tremors, diarrhea. Treatment for withdrawal is required in newborns.
Conclusion
As such Tramadol is a safe drug to be used in the initial phase of pregnancy. It should be used preciously with other drugs as it shows interaction with many other medications. It is always necessary to visit a doctor before starting this medication and on the appearance of any side effect.
