[LUM#9] Pain Relievers 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. This combination is sold over the counter and is often considered harmless, but it should in fact be prohibited for pregnant women, as demonstrated by the research 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 consequences for the development of the reproductive organs and the fertility of the offspring were not known,” 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 starting in the sixth month, ” explains Brigitte Boizet-Bonhoure.

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

And that is precisely what the researchers found. “When we analyze adult mice that had been exposed in utero, we show that the males produce fewer sperm. ” Even more concerning: when the exposed animals breed with one another, their offspring have less motile sperm, leading to a decline in fertility in male mice 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 percent, there is currently enough data showing that these treatments have an impact on fertility to warrant a review of medication guidelines,” 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 taking 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 compounds induces intergenerational effects that could affect the genome and gene regulation in germ cells—just as endocrine disruptors do—and have consequences spanning several generations!” the biologist warns. Against the backdrop of steadily declining human fertility (see sidebar), this is yet another factor to consider in order to protect reproductive health. “Pregnant women need to 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