Birth Defects: Become Educated

According to a new study reported by Fox News, women who take over the counter painkillers while pregnant are more likely to have a baby born with birth defects. Babies are three times more likely to be born with amniotic band syndrome if the mother was taking painkillers while pregnant. This syndrome can cause various malformations including clubfeet and multiple joint contractures. A common birth defect caused by Aspirin or Naproxen includes the child being born with abnormally small eyeballs often causing blindness, or the child being born with no eyeballs. New statistics show the risk of cleft palate rose by 50% and the risk of spina bifida rose by 60%.

If these drugs can cause such devastating defects, then why do pregnant women continue to take them? The fact is these women simply are not educated about the risks that can come from taking over the counter drugs while pregnant, and drug companies make sure of that. While the FDA requires drug companies to list any known side effects of the drug, this never is a dependent source of information. Drug companies and doctors never release the complete list of side effects that can occur while taking the medication.

It is extremely important for expecting mothers to be completely educated when taking any sort of medication. The risks are becoming too catastrophic and the cases of a child being born with a birth defect are becoming too common. There are many resources that can be helpful to mothers who are expecting, including books and online articles. One website that is extremely informative is BirthDefectSettlement.com. The website offers insightful information about the common risks many people may face. Also contact information is provided if there are any questions that are not answered. This website not only explains the many risks of countless drugs, but can also help those who have children born with birth defects connect with resources and take steps in a positive direction.