AIf a pregnancy is, at least temporarily, not physically demanding enough for a woman, she is often told anyway: It doesn’t matter if it’s a sore throat, a runny nose, or a headache—if you’re pregnant, you can’t take any medications. So expectant mothers torture themselves, drink tea and hope for relief. For many people, the fear of harming their child is so deep that they are willing to endure anything. Many doctors also feel a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the question: what medications can pregnant women take?
The basic background to all these fears and questions is that “every doctor has already dealt with the term Contergan,” says Professor Christoph Schäfer, former head of the Pharmacovigilance and Consultative Center for Fetal Toxicology at Charité (or “Embryotox” for short). ). “The Contergan case,” Schaefer says, “showed for the first time that there are side effects not only for the patient, but also for the unborn child. These were dramatic consequences that led to a rethinking of the entire world.”
Source: Frantfurter Allgemeine
I have been working as a news website author for the past year, and have written about a variety of healthcare-related topics. I am currently focusing on coverage of medical technology and innovation, as well as patient advocacy. I am also an avid cyclist and runner, and enjoy spending time outdoors exploring new trails or hitting the pavement for a run.
