According to health professionals, selecting pregnancy-safe medication is critical not only for the mother’s well-being but also for proper foetal development. While some medicines are considered relatively safe—particularly after the first trimester—others have been linked to serious birth defects.
A recent study by the University of Iowa College of Public Health in the United States examined the potential risks of cough medications during pregnancy. The research, which analyzed data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reviewed information from more than 16,000 mothers of babies born with birth defects and over 10,000 mothers of unaffected infants.
“Our findings are largely reassuring regarding the safety of maternal use of cough medications containing dextromethorphan and/or guaifenesin in early pregnancy, but they do raise some new questions,” said Dr. Paul Romitti, director of the Iowa Registry for Congenital and Inherited Disorders.
In Nigeria, family physician Dr. John Ovuoraye emphasized the dangers of self-medicating during pregnancy. Speaking to PUNCH Healthwise, he advised expectant mothers to avoid taking malaria and cough medications without a doctor’s prescription, explaining that improper drug use could increase the risk of birth defects.
“Not all orthodox medicines, even those approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), are safe for pregnant women,” Ovuoraye said. He noted that drugs considered safe before conception may become harmful once pregnancy occurs.
He urged pregnant women to seek professional medical guidance rather than relying on over-the-counter remedies from chemists or pharmacies. “A doctor will know which medications are appropriate for the stage of pregnancy and will protect both mother and baby,” he said.
The physician also warned against assuming that common cough syrups and other remedies are harmless. “Some drug vendors are not trained pharmacists and may dispense medicines that could harm the foetus,” he added. He extended this caution to herbal medicines and alcohol, citing their potential toxicity to developing babies.
Highlighting the possible consequences of inappropriate drug use during pregnancy, Ovuoraye explained that birth defects could manifest in various forms, including cleft lip, cleft palate, extra digits, clubfoot, congenital heart conditions, or abnormalities affecting the spine or reproductive organs.
He stressed that pregnant women should report ailments such as headache, fever, rashes, or discharge to healthcare workers rather than self-medicating. “Healthcare professionals will provide safe guidance, and a healthy diet and lifestyle are also essential for a safe pregnancy,” he added.
The World Health Organization (WHO) underscores that malaria infection during pregnancy remains a major public health concern, posing serious risks to both mother and child. WHO recommends intermittent preventive treatment with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine during routine antenatal visits, regardless of whether the woman is infected. This intervention has been shown to reduce maternal malaria episodes, anaemia, placental parasitaemia, low birth weight, and neonatal mortality.