With the popularization of medical knowledge, people know that special attention should be paid to taking medicine during pregnancy and lactation. However, some people don’t pay much attention to the use of topical medications. Some time ago, Xiaoyun, a nurse who was 5 months pregnant, developed some small rashes on her body. The healthcare practitioner diagnosed her with hay fever. Since she was pregnant and her symptoms were mild, she was not prescribed any medication. But Xiaoyun felt a little itchy on her face and thought: As long as she doesn\’t take medicine randomly, it will not have any adverse effects on the fetus, so she went to the drugstore to buy topical medicine for her to take. initiative. This approach is wrong.
Relevant research shows that women should be cautious when using topical drugs during pregnancy and lactation, because some topical drugs can be absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream, harming the health of the fetus or baby. Topical medications that should be used with caution include:
Kills tinea: Its ingredient is clotrimazole, which is mostly used for fungal infections of the skin and mucous membranes, such as tinea corporis, tinea cruris, tinea manuum, tinea pedis, etc. Animal experiments have found toxic effects on embryos. If used externally by lactating women, its pharmaceutical ingredients may enter the breast milk. Although no obvious adverse reactions have been reported clinically, this drug should be used with caution for the health of your baby.
Bactobang Ointment (mupirocin): is a topical antibiotic ointment widely used to treat skin infections. However, many experts believe that it is best not to use this drug during pregnancy. Because the polyethylene glycol in it will be absorbed and accumulated by the body, it may cause a series of adverse reactions.
Acyclovir ointment: an antiviral topical medication. Antiviral drugs generally inhibit the replication of viral DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), but they also inhibit the d-DNA polymerase of human cells, thereby affecting the replication of human DNA. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using various antiviral topical medications during pregnancy.
Glucocorticoids: These drugs have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects and are widely used to treat urticaria, eczema, drug eruptions, contact dermatitis, etc. However, large-scale or long-term external use in pregnant women can cause fetal adrenocortical insufficiency. This medication is also absorbed through the skin and distributed in small doses into breast milk.
Pregnant or lactating women should take medications under the guidance of a doctor, whether oral or topical, to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the medication.