"Nurofen" is an effective anti-inflammatory drug, which has a strong analgesic effect and the ability to lower the temperature when it rises, so it is often included in the home medicine cabinet.
It is in demand for headaches, the first symptoms of colds and flu, and in many other cases. However, during pregnancy, you cannot drink such a medicine without the supervision of a doctor, and in some cases this medication can harm the baby in the womb or cause problems during childbirth.
Features of application for different periods
When the expectant mother is faced with pain or fever (for example, she has a toothache, an inflamed ear, or an acute respiratory viral infection), such painful symptoms should not be ignored. The disease can affect the condition of the mother and affect the fetus. For example, with a fever, the baby in the tummy may receive less oxygen, which will negatively affect its development. And the use of drugs from the group of non-steroidal drugs, which include "Nurofen", is sometimes justified.
The instruction for the drug notes that taking Nurofen when carrying a child is undesirable, but in the 2nd trimester, short-term treatment will not cause harm.
But since the active substance of the drug can sometimes still provoke the appearance of pathologies in the fetus, then it is permissible to use this drug only when the illness of the expectant mother is more dangerous than the possible risk of Nurofen. This is the recommendation given by doctors in relation to the second trimester of pregnancy, which is called the safest for the baby.
But in the early stages of treatment with "Nurofen" should be abandoned if possible. This medicine can disrupt the laying of organs and cause congenital pathologies, so it should not be used in the 1st trimester.
If the pain can be tolerated or the temperature has not risen much, then folk remedies are preferable, for example, a cool compress, tea with chamomile or raspberries. In case of severe pain and temperature rise above 38.5 degrees in the first trimester, Nurofen can be taken only in isolated cases after consulting a doctor, but it is better to replace it with a drug with a more gentle effect.
As for the third trimester, in the later stages, taking Nurofen is strictly prohibited. Such a medicine, taken later than the 28th week of gestation, can adversely affect the condition of the child (for example, cause heart disease) and the contractility of the uterus, which will lead to late onset of labor and weak labor.
Release form and dosage
Nurofen is represented by a fairly large assortment of drugs, which differ in their form, composition, and the amount of ibuprofen, the main ingredient of each of these drugs. The choice of the appropriate type of "Nurofen" depends on the reason for its use, for example, if the expectant mother has joint pain, it is better to use an ointment, and in case of toothache, a suspension or tablets are prescribed.
Application of the gel
Such "Nurofen" is a colorless transparent mass with a peculiar aroma. It is sold in tubes containing 30 to 200 grams of medication and contains 5% ibuprofen. The drug is in demand for pain and inflammation in the muscles, back or joints. It is applied to a stretched, injured or inflamed area, and is also used for neuralgia. Since this gel acts only topically, it has no side effects and is relatively safe for the fetus. But such a drug should not be used without a doctor's supervision, because it is contraindicated in children under 14 years of age.
A small strip of the product (4 to 10 cm) is rubbed into the desired area, and then hands are thoroughly washed. Treating infected skin is prohibited, as are open wounds. You can reapply the medicine after 4 hours, and the frequency of use per day should not be more than 4 times. It is permissible to use Nurofen gel for up to 2 weeks, but it is also important to check this point with a doctor.
Children's forms of release
Such a series of medicines called "Nurofen for Children" is sold in orange-yellow packaging and is intended for children (except for tablets, they are used from 3 months). Many expectant mothers consider such drugs to be safer than Nurofen for adults, and therefore choose them when carrying a child. However, the active substance in them is the same, therefore, the effect on both the mother's body and the fetus will be the same. The only difference is in dosages.
Children's "Nurofen" is represented by such types.
- Candlesthat are used rectally. Each suppository contains only 60 mg of the active ingredient, so such "Nurofen" is not prescribed for adults.
- Pillscovered with a dense shell. The dosage of ibuprofen in each of them is 200 mg, which corresponds to the dose in tablets for adults, therefore, children's tablets do not have any advantages.
- Suspension, that has an orange or strawberry flavor. This type of drug, sometimes called a syrup, can be used during pregnancy and its dosage is calculated based on the woman's weight. Such "Nurofen" really has an advantage over pills - the expectant mother can take a dose of less than 200 mg, if it is sufficient for a therapeutic effect.
It is recommended to take children's medications after meals so that such a medicine will less irritate the digestive tract. The suspension or tablet should be taken at intervals of at least six hours, a maximum of three times a day and no longer than three days in a row. If the drug did not help get rid of the pain or did not lower the temperature, you should definitely consult your doctor.
Pills
This form of the drug is most in demand among expectant mothers, since the size of the tablets is small, it is easy to swallow them, and one piece contains a dosage sufficient for an adult patient. In the pharmacy, you can find the tablets "Nurofen" in a silver pack. This drug, as noted above, has exactly the same properties as tablets for children.
This medication contains 200 mg of ibuprofen per tablet and is often prescribed for both pain and fever. It is taken with meals, 1-2 tablets, washed down with water, at intervals of 6 to 8 hours, and the daily dosage of the drug should not exceed 1200 mg. The use of such a drug should be short-term - no more than 2-3 days.
In addition to the usual Nurofen, such medicines are also produced in tablets.
- Nurofen Forte. The drug is distinguished by a doubled dosage of ibuprofen (400 mg) and is taken 1 tablet up to 3 times a day.
- Nurofen Express Neo. This version of the tablets has a faster action, since in them ibuprofen is presented in a special form that is rapidly absorbed (sodium dihydrate). The dosage for 1 tablet in terms of ibuprofen is 200 mg.
- Nurofen Express Lady. Such tablets also act faster than the usual "Nurofen" due to the presence of sodium ibuprofen dihydrate, but contain it in a dose of 400 mg (in terms of pure ibuprofen).
- Nurofen Long. A feature of these tablets is the presence of an additional analgesic and antipyretic component - paracetamol. In this case, the dosage of ibuprofen is 200 mg, and the amount of paracetamol in each tablet is 500 mg.
- Nurofen Multisymptom. This type of tablet also includes a combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol, but their doses, respectively, are 400 and 325 mg. Both medicines are allowed in 1-2 trimesters, but only under medical supervision.
There is also a drug called Nurofen Plus, but it is contraindicated at any stage of pregnancy due to the presence of the second active component, which is codeine.
Capsules
They are more commonly used for headaches, neuralgia, toothache, migraine, or back pain, but can be used for febrile conditions. Three medicines "Nurofen" are produced in this form:
- "Express" - contains 200 mg of active ingredient in each capsule;
- "Express Forte" - dosage increased to 400 mg per capsule;
- UltraCap Forte - the dose in one capsule is also 400 mg.
The main difference between any type of medicine in capsules is the speed of action. It is due to the fact that inside the gelatinous shell there is a liquid in which ibuprofen is dissolved.
Once in the stomach, gelatin rapidly dissolves, after which the active substance is immediately absorbed. Its maximum amount in the blood is observed already after 30-40 minutes, which is twice as fast as when absorbed from conventional tablets.
The therapeutic effects of the capsules begin to appear 15-20 minutes after taking them. Single dosages and frequency of use of such "Nurofen" coincide with the peculiarities of the use of tablets.
Potential harm
Even if the expectant mother takes Nurofen in the second trimester and the risk to the fetus is minimal, the drug can still harm a woman's body.
- If the pregnant woman has any contraindications to taking this medication. These include hypersensitivity, bronchial asthma, stomach ulcers, severe renal failure, hemophilia, and many other diseases.
- If the expectant mother is already taking other drugs that are incompatible with Nurofen. This medication should not be administered in conjunction with cardiac glycosides, anticoagulants, some antibiotics, antacids and other drugs noted in the annotation.
- If a woman has exceeded the dosage or drinks Nurofen more often than is acceptable. In such a situation, various negative symptoms may appear, for example, headaches, diarrhea, signs of liver damage, drowsiness, and so on.
In addition, while taking Nurofen, side effects of such medication may appear, for example:
- rash on the skin;
- heartburn;
- bronchospasm;
- runny nose;
- weakness;
- stomach ache;
- bleeding from the nose;
- swelling;
- flatulence and others.
When they appear, further use of "Nurofen" should be abandoned and a doctor should be consulted on what symptomatic remedy to replace it with.
Analogs
Instead of Nurofen, the expectant mother in the first and second trimesters can use both other drugs with the same active substance (Ibuprofen-Akrihin, Mig 400, Ibufen, Faspik, Ibuprofen, etc.), so and drugs that additionally contain paracetamol ("Brustan", "Ibuklin", "Next" and others). In case of fever or pain in the third trimester, "Nurofen" is advised to replace any of the paracetamol preparations.
Conclusions
Although Nurofen has quite a few contraindications and there is a certain risk for a baby in the womb, this medicine is sometimes used during pregnancy. Usually these are isolated cases, and the reception itself is short-lived. Negative consequences, judging by the reviews, most often occur with uncontrolled use, the use of high doses or a very long intake.
Therefore, if the expectant mother is faced with the need to drink "Nurofen", first you need to discuss with the doctor a possible alternative and only if the doctor is convinced of the need for this medication, a pregnant woman can take a pill, capsule or suspension, but it is important to follow all his instructions. In this case, there will be no harm from the drug.
More information about the drug can be found in the video below.
