• 03
  • March
    2011

Taking Pain killer meds like Oxycontin, Vicotin and Tylenol-3 (aka Codeine and hydrocodone) during pregnancy are linked to a variey of birth defects. The results come from a newly released CDC study which is the largest birth defect study done to date. The study found that these Pain killers or Opioids taken during pregnancy doubled or more a women's risk of having a baby born with serious heart defects like hypoplastic left heart, tetralogy of Fallot, ASD, VSD's, and Pulmonary stenosis. There is also greater risk of non cardiac defects like Spina bifida, Hydrocelphaly, Glaucoma and Gastroschisis. These drugs are all a pregnancy Category C and until recently have been thought to be relatively safe during pregnancy. Perhaps this will cause the FDA to change the warning labels on Opioids to the more strict category D or even X. This would alert doctors of their increased risk during Pregnancy.