NSAID link to miscarriage
September 8, 2011
THE Pharmaceutical Society of
Australia has urged pregnant
women wanting to use nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs
to consult a pharmacist before
taking the medications, after new
research showing they have a
heightened risk of miscarriage.
The study published in the
Canadian Medical Association
Journal looked at a range of NSAIDs
including ibuprofen, and concluded
that women who took any type,
and any dose, of the drugs had a
2.4 times higher risk of miscarriage
than those who did not use NSAIDs.
4705 cases of miscarriage were
analysed, of which 352 (7.5%)
involved women taking NSAIDs.
PSA National President Grant
Kardachi said the findings
highlighted the importance of
pregnant women seeking advice
before taking any medication.
“NSAIDs are very effective and
useful medications, but clearly
should not be bought in a nonpharmacy
setting and taken
without advice,” he said.
Kardachi warned that consumers
buying NSAIDs in a supermarket are
unlikely to know about the higher
risk of miscarriage “as they will not
be given any professional medical
advice when purchasing the
product”.
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