Pregnancy can be a life changing time for women (Tramadol while pregnant). With a large number of hormonal and physical changes happening in the woman’s body she will have to face a number of challenges and pains. There will be problems like mood swings and also there will be a number of different types of pains that she will suffer. This can be backaches, headaches etc. Naturally, women are tempted to take prescription based pain killers. But the question is; are these painkillers safe? It must be noted that there are reports which suggest that medicines that act on opioid receptors like Tramadol can be habit-forming. (Tramadol while Pregnant)
What is Tramadol?
This is a pain killer that acts on the opioid receptors. This medication can be used to treat moderate to severe pains that result due to injuries and accidents. There are different strengths of Tramadol that is 50 mg which is useful on moderate pains and 100 mg which is useful on severe pains. The dosage and strength of Tramadol has to be decided by the physician. But this is for a normal man or woman. The question here is about a pregnant woman. Let us analyse the different points in this case.
Here are a few points that need to be considered before taking Tramadol while pregnant:
- Prenatal tramadol can be risky:
It must be noted that there are reports that suggest that prenatal Tramadol does pose health risks to the mother and the baby. A pregnant woman must therefore, always check with the doctor before taking the medicine.
- Side effects do exist:
One more reason that one need to avoid Tramadol while pregnant occurs is that just like the case of other drugs here to there are chances of side effects. In the case of Tramadol side effects like nausea, vomiting, dizziness, rash, joint pains, confusion etc can occur.
- Tramadol is C category drug:
The food and drug administration labels drugs into categories A to X where A stands for least risky and X stands for most risky during pregnancy. Now Tramadol is C category drug. This means that there is not much information available about Tramadol during pregnancy. Now this can be risky and hence it is better to check with your doctor before you take the medication during pregnancy.
- Drug dependence is possible:
It must be noted that in the case of Tramadol drug dependence many occur. Continuous use of Tramadol can lead to drug dependence not just in the mother but also in the case of an unborn baby. Therefore it is better to avoid Tramadol for pregnant women.
- Withdrawal symptoms can occur:
After continuous use of Tramadol when the medication is stopped suddenly then withdrawal symptoms can occur which can be life-threatening for the mother and the baby?
- The possibility of drug interactions:
Just like other drugs, there are chances of drug interactions. If the mother is already on some medication that interacts with the Tramadol then can be a serious threat to the mother and the baby.
- Lactating mothers are also at risk:
There are reports that suggest that when Tramadol is taken by lactating mothers then the medication can seep into the mother’s milk and this can be risky for the child. It is important that to check if there are any side effects like sleepiness, drowsiness, sedation, difficulty in breast-feeding etc in the case of the child. (Tramadol during Pregnancy)
- Increases baby’s risk:
The use of tramadol can put the fetus under lots of painful risk. There are chances of Hydrocephalus which is the fluid build up in the brain that can lead to physical and mental issues. Gastroschisis which is a birth defect and Hypoplastic which is a heart defect.
- Can lead to abortion:
One of the major risks is that Tramadol can also lead to abortion under certain conditions.
- Other risk factors:
There are other risk factors like low birth weight, premature rupture of membranes. There are also cases where the babies have been born addicted to Tramadol. Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is observed. In some cases, immediate medical attention may be required. For example in the case of excess sweating, seizures, irritability, high pitched crying etc.
Tramadol Pregnancy Precautions:
Like in the case of other medications Tramadol also poses threat to the mother and the child. It is always better to therefore, avoid medications that pose a threat to the baby and the mother. In case it is important to take a pain-killer like Tramadol then the mother must first check with the physician. The doctor will check the condition of the mother and will then decide about the medicines that can be prescribed. The doctor will suggest other options which are effective but have fewer side effects on the baby and the mother.
Tramadol is one of the most widely used analgesics. But when it comes to pregnancy no medication is safe. It is always better to ensure that the pregnant mother avoids using this medicine as it can be risky not just for the mother but also for her unborn child. Even in the case of lactating mothers, it is best to avoid Tramadol as this too has proven to be risky for the infant.
For the best suggestions for the pain relief medication that can be taken when a lady is pregnant, it is better to check with a physician. To know more about Tramadol while pregnant/pregnancy contact us via our contact form.