“To take or not to take?”: that is the question pregnant women face
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – To take or not to take? That is the question.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is advising women to not take acetaminophen while they are pregnant.
When you’re pregnant, your body goes through changes.
And sometimes, those changes can cause pain.
Due to having limited options, pregnant women often turn to the over-the-counter medicine Tylenol to help relieve the pain.
Acetaminophen is an active ingredient in the pain reliever.
“Tylenol has been around for years and pregnant women have been using Tylenol for a very long time,” said Dr. Pam Lacy, an Obstetrician-Gynecologist in Columbus.
On Monday, The Trump Administration said evidence shows a link between the drug and autism and other neurological disorders.
President Donald advises women to not take Tylenol while pregnant.
Dr. Pam Lacy is an Obstetrician-Gynecologist with Physicians and Surgeons in Columbus.
“American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, which is our national body, known as ACOG, feels like Tylenol is still a safe product,” said Lacy.
She said many of her patients have used Tylenol in the past to treat pain or fevers.
However, moderation is key.
“With any type of medicine, pregnant or not pregnant, you want to use the least amount of medicine for the shortest duration of time. If a pregnant woman is needing Tylenol that much, then we need to find out what’s the problem,” said Lacy.
With President Trump’s advice, it leaves pregnant women with few to no options for pain.
“Ibuprofen, we know for sure is not safe in pregnancy. It’s not good for the baby’s heart. Aspirin is not safe. We can get into bleeding issues,” said Lacy.
Lacy advises talking with your OB-GYN before taking any medication.
She said some pain can be solved at home.
Dehydration, lack of sleep, or poor eating habits can also cause headaches.
She recommends –“getting out exercising, eating properly and drinking water.”
Other doctors around the country have disagreed with President Trump’s advice.
However, he suggests only using Tylenol if it is “absolutely necessary.”
