Popular blood pressure-lowering drugs called as ACE (Angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors carry the risk of causing birth defects in babies of women who use them in the first trimester of pregnancy, according to a new study.
ACE inhibitors currently carry warnings on the labels cautioning against their use in the second and third trimester of pregnancy since they are known to cause birth defects. But they were considered to be safe for use in the initial three months of pregnancy.
This new study published in this week's New England Journal of Medicine, has cast serious doubts over the use of these drugs in the first trimester. A woman's blood pressure increases in pregnancy and around 5 to 8 percent of them are prescribed blood pressure lowering drugs.
According to Wed MD, the following was the break up of the defects observed,
* 7 babies had more than one malformation.
* Cardiovascular malformations were the most common type of major birth defect, affecting 9 babies.
* Malformations of the central nervous system were the second most common type of major birth defect, affecting 3 babies.
* The babies moms ranged in age from 17-41 years.
* The babies were born at 32-41 weeks of gestational age.
Of these the risk of cardiovascular defects was nearly four times higher in children of women who took ACE inhibitors as compared to women who did not use any blood pressure lowering medicines. Additionally central nervous system birth defects were four times higher among the children of women who took ACE inhibitors.
So please be careful of what you are taking when you are pregnant and talk to your doctor! You dont want your baby to get hurt!
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wow thanks. i did not know that great news.
Wow, I will rememeber that one!