WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKBN) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning against the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) around 20 weeks or later in pregnancy.
Those drugs may cause rare but serious kidney and heart problems in an unborn baby.
Most issues occur at 20 weeks and after for kidney issues and 30 weeks and after for heart problems.
NSAIDs are commonly used to relieve pain and reduce fevers. They include medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and celecoxib.
Although this safety concern is well known among certain medical specialties, the FDA wanted the wider health community to be aware and pregnant women.
The FDA is recommending avoiding NSAIDs in pregnant women at 20 weeks or later in pregnancy rather than the 30 weeks currently described in NSAID prescribing information.
For prescription NSAIDS, the FDA is requiring changes to the prescribing information to describe the risk of kidney problems in unborn babies that result in low amniotic fluid.
If necessary by a health care professional, use of NSAIDs between 20 and 30 weeks of pregnancy should be limited to the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration.
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