[LUM#9] Painkillers and Pregnancy: A Dangerous Combination

[LUM Magazine] - Published on February 12, 2019 in Health, Social Issues & Disabilities, Science and Society

A study bythe Institute of Human Genetics (IGH) reveals that taking acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during pregnancy affects the fertility of unborn children. These alarming findings call for limiting the use of these medications in pregnant women.

To relieve pain, many pregnant women continue to take acetaminophen combined with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen during their pregnancy. “It is estimated that 4% of women use this combination of drugs, ” explains Brigitte Boizet-Bonhoure. A cocktail sold over the counter and often considered harmless, yet one that should be prohibited for pregnant women, as evidenced by the work of theIGH biologist.

“Numerous studies have already shown that exposure to these molecules early in pregnancy increases the risk of genital malformations such as cryptorchidism or hypospadias in newborn boys, but the effects on the development of reproductive organs and the fertility of offspring were previously unknown,” explains Brigitte Boizet-Bonhoure.

Early pregnancy: a critical period

To address this knowledge gap, the researchers administered acetaminophen and ibuprofen to mice in early pregnancy. “If we draw a parallel with humans, this is equivalent to a pregnant woman taking these two medications at the doses typically permitted between the fourth and sixth weeks of pregnancy, given that acetaminophen is permitted throughout pregnancy and ibuprofen is contraindicated only after the sixth month , ” explains Brigitte Boizet-Bonhoure.

This very early stage of gestation is, however, a particularly sensitive phase: it is during this early stage of embryogenesis that the reproductive system develops, with the formation of embryonic ovaries or testes. “This embryonic period shapes the entire future sexual life; if these processes are disrupted, fertility problems may arise in the offspring. ”

And that is precisely what the researchers found. “When we analyzed adult mice that had been exposed in utero, we found that the males produced fewer sperm. ” Even more concerning: when the exposed animals breed with one another, their offspring have less motile sperm, leading to a decline in male fertility as early as 6 months of age—which corresponds to about 40 years in humans.

Review medication recommendations

Are there also effects in female mice? “We are currently analyzing this data, but we have already observed that the fertility of females exposed in utero is also affected; in particular, they are at risk of early menopause, ” explains Brigitte Boizet-Bonhoure.

Can these results obtained in mice be extrapolated to humans? “Even if we can’t apply them 100%, there is currently enough data showing that these treatments have an impact on fertility to warrant a review of drug recommendations,” warns Brigitte Boizet-Bon-houre, who has shared her concerns with the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety.

These findings are all the more concerning because they show that exposure to acetaminophen and ibuprofen affects not only rodents exposed in utero but also their offspring, who were not exposed to these drugs during gestation. “This suggests that exposure to these molecules induces intergenerational effects that could affect the genome and gene regulation in germ cells, much like endocrine disruptors do, and have consequences spanning multiple generations!” the biologist warns. In a context where human fertility continues to decline (see box), this is yet another factor to consider in order to preserve reproductive health. “Pregnant women must be warned that taking acetaminophen and ibuprofen, even in the very early stages of pregnancy, is not a harmless act.”

Keywords: LUM#9, LUM Magazine, Medications, Health