Features of using Paracetamol in the 3rd trimester

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During the period of bearing a child, most medications are contraindicated for a woman. However, it is a pregnant woman who is more susceptible to colds and other ailments.

Paracetamol is one of the few medications that doctors allow for use during pregnancy. This is a practically safe drug that relieves fever and relieves pain during illness. However, pregnancy is a special condition and you should consult a doctor before using Paracetamol.

Composition and properties of the drug

The active ingredient of the drug is paracetamol itself (lat. Paracetamolum). By spreading throughout the body and affecting the centers of pain and thermoregulation in the central nervous system, the drug reduces the overall level of prostaglandins - substances that activate the development of the inflammatory process. In addition, paracetamol has a pronounced antipyretic and analgesic effect.

The drug can be produced in various forms: tablets (regular and soluble), syrups, rectal suppositories, powders. When choosing a medicine at the pharmacy to treat a cold or relieve a headache, you should not purchase combination products with paracetamol, since its other components can negatively affect the health of the fetus.

Release form and expiration date

Various dosage forms of the drug are available on the pharmacological market. The most common of them are tablets for 200, 325 and 500 milligrams of the active substance per 1 piece.

Candles

A popular form of release of Paracetamol is rectal suppositories. One suppository contains 125, 150, 250 or 500 milligrams of the active ingredient. The convenience of the medicine lies in the rapid onset of the therapeutic effect - after 5-7 minutes.

Syrup

Pharmacies sell syrup with Paracetamol. The release form is used to reduce body temperature in children. The medicine has a pleasant taste and smell.

Injection

A rarer form of the drug is an injection solution. It is used in a hospital setting to quickly relieve pain and fever.

The medication is stored in the dark away from sources of ultraviolet radiation. The drug should not be left in places accessible to small children. The medicine retains its properties at temperatures from 12 to 25 degrees. The shelf life of tablets and suppositories is 24 months, syrup and injection solution - 12 months.

Indications and contraindications

Most often, paracetamol is prescribed to pregnant women:

to relieve mild to moderate pain (toothache, headache, muscle pain, back pain);
as a symptomatic treatment for febrile syndrome accompanying colds and flu.

The drug is prohibited for use for the following health problems:

liver dysfunction;
diseases of the hematopoietic system;
individual intolerance.

With uncontrolled use of the drug, renal colic, thrombocytopenia and anemia may develop.

Overdose

The first symptoms of an overdose of Paracetamol are manifested by pallor of the skin, dyspeptic disorders such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Then the listed signs are joined by pathologies of liver and kidney function.

If the maximum dosage is exceeded, patients experience heart rhythm disturbances, loss of consciousness, delirium, and hallucinations. If left untreated, death may occur.

If symptoms of an overdose appear, the expectant mother should immediately contact an ambulance. Treatment is carried out using an infusion of the antagonist Paracetamol. Before the arrival of doctors, independent gastric lavage is indicated.

The effect of paracetamol on the fetus

Let's consider what effect taking this drug in different trimesters of pregnancy can have on the unborn baby.

Paracetamol during pregnancy: 1st trimester
During the first weeks of pregnancy, the formation of organs and systems of the unborn child occurs.
In some cases, paracetamol in early pregnancy can have the following effects on the embryo:
— At 1-3 weeks of pregnancy, paracetamol can cause miscarriage or the development of defects incompatible with the life of the fetus.
— From 3 to 18 weeks, the drug can have a negative effect on the formation of the child’s genital organs.

Paracetamol during pregnancy: 2nd trimester
The final formation of fetal organs and systems is completed by the 18th week, and therefore, in order to avoid the development of all kinds of defects, it is better to refrain from taking medications. Long-term use of paracetamol during pregnancy beyond 12 weeks can lead to the development of respiratory problems in the baby after birth.

Paracetamol during pregnancy: 3rd trimester
In the third trimester, high temperature in the mother can provoke the development of hypoxia in the fetus, as well as reduce the protective functions of the placental barrier. Therefore, paracetamol is an indispensable antipyretic during this period.
There is evidence that taking the drug at different stages of pregnancy may be one of the factors in the development of bronchial asthma in a child in the future. Therefore, in general, it is worth understanding that paracetamol can be used by pregnant women in cases where the benefit to the health of the mother outweighs the possible risk to the fetus.

Indications for taking paracetamol

Such a well-known medicine as paracetamol is widely used for a number of diseases in order to get rid of some symptoms. The drug has proven analgesic and antipyretic properties, as well as a mild anti-inflammatory effect. Thanks to this, the medicine is used in the treatment of a number of ailments.

Paracetamol is most often used in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy for fever, as well as for headaches. In both cases, the drug can relieve a woman of painful symptoms. Thus, body temperature usually decreases within an hour after taking the medicine, and the headache may disappear or noticeably weaken within 20 minutes from the moment of taking the pill.

Paracetamol is most often used to get rid of the following diseases or conditions:

pain of various origins (muscle pain, headache, toothache, etc.);
increased temperature due to the inflammatory process;
ARVI.

However, the presence of any of these indications does not yet constitute a basis for the use of the drug by pregnant women. First, you should find out whether the medicine will harm the unborn baby and how paracetamol generally affects the body during pregnancy.

Features of application

Paracetamol can be used during pregnancy , while following a few simple rules:

Application is possible if body temperature is above 38 degrees or lasts more than one day.
Do not exceed the dose recommended by your doctor.
The maximum number of doses is three times a day for four days (the daily dose should not exceed 3000 mg).
The drug should not be used after the pain has stopped, as it does not have preventive properties.

The drug is taken after meals with plenty of liquid.

Paracetamol during pregnancy: instructions for use

In therapeutic practice, Paracetamol is used as an analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agent. This determines the indications of the drug:

mild pain of various origins;
increased body temperature due to inflammatory diseases.

Paracetamol can also be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding, however, only according to indications and as prescribed by a doctor. Among the contraindications to the drug are only hypersensitivity to its components, alcoholism and impaired functioning of the kidneys and liver.

However, the side effects of Paracetamol are serious:

allergic reactions;
anemia;
renal colic;
interstitial glomerulonephritis;
aseptic pyuria;
agranulocytosis;
thrombocytopenia.

Interaction with other drugs

It is prohibited to combine paracetamol with other drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (analgin, acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen) - this can lead to the development of severe functional disorders of the mother’s liver and internal organs of the unborn child.

Despite the potential danger to the fetus, paracetamol is practically the only drug that is universally recommended for pregnant women. In order not to harm your own health and the condition of the unborn child, you must remember that a doctor should prescribe the medication.

Is it possible to take paracetamol during pregnancy and in what cases?

Regarding the use of Paracetamol, often even an experienced doctor is not able to say with complete certainty whether the drug will harm a pregnant woman and her child. However, a woman in this position is not immune from viral diseases and various pain sensations, and the consequences of such conditions can have a very negative impact on the development of the fetus.

Therefore, in such situations, it is advisable to use medications, and doctors in most cases give preference to Paracetamol, as a relatively safe remedy . Studies have not shown any negative effects on pregnancy, but it has been proven that the active substance can penetrate the placenta .

It is strictly forbidden to make your own decision about the use of the drug and its dosage. Also, Paracetamol cannot be used continuously. Only a doctor should prescribe the drug.

As a rule, this is done in the following cases:

body temperature above 38°C for acute respiratory viral infections and influenza;
dental pain;
muscle pain (for example, in the back, neck or lower back);
headaches, migraines.

Side effects

By violating the dosage prescribed by the doctor or even taking paracetamol without the permission of the gynecologist, the expectant mother risks encountering unpleasant side effects of taking the drug.
These are conditions such as:

nausea or vomiting (often if the dosage is exceeded);
allergies (in the form of a rash on the body, hives or itchy skin);
thrombocytopenia and leukopenia;
decreased blood pressure;
liver or kidney problems.

If your condition worsens or alarming symptoms appear after taking paracetamol, stop further use of the medicine and call an ambulance immediately!

What is paracetamol

Paracetamol
is a popular non-narcotic pain reliever that can simultaneously have an antipyretic effect. In Western countries, paracetamol is known as acetaminophen.

Paracetamol does not belong to the group of NSAIDs; it has a completely different mechanism of action than aspirin or ibuprofen, and therefore women can take paracetamol during pregnancy. You just need to know the specifics of taking this medicine during different periods of pregnancy.

Action

During pregnancy, hormonal changes occur in the body, the immune system becomes weaker - all energy is spent on maintaining the nascent life. The risk of contracting a viral or infectious disease to the expectant mother during this period increases several times.

If the temperature rises during pregnancy, then Paracetamol is allowed for use, as it acts safely. It has been proven that the drug passes through the placental barrier, but does not have a negative effect on the fetus.

The product can reduce fever, eliminate pain, and also suppress inflammatory processes. Paracetamol acts on the human thermoregulatory center, while simultaneously reducing the activity of prostaglandins - bacteria that support inflammation in the mother's body.

The drug quickly enters the bloodstream

The medicine penetrates the bloodstream within 60 minutes, after which it enters the internal organs and body fluids (with the exception of adipose tissue and cerebrospinal fluid).

How does the drug work? It affects the excitability of pain centers and improves heat transfer. The duration of the effect is 6 hours. After some time, the substance breaks down in the liver cells and is completely excreted in the urine.