Can hormonal drugs be used for pregnant women?

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In some cases, pregnant women with polycystic syndrome will be given only pregnancy hormones, usually estrogen and progesterone, to prevent miscarriage. So what are the potential risks of using female hormone-regulating drugs during pregnancy and how to use them to achieve the highest effectiveness?

1. What is the role of hormones in pregnancy?

The amount of hormones in the female body is greatly affected during pregnancy. Some hormones play an important role in pregnancy such as:
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG): This hormone is only produced during pregnancy. The levels of the hormone hCG found in a pregnant woman's blood and urine increase greatly during the first trimester and contribute to the nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy. Human Placental Lactogen (HPL): This hormone also known as human chorionic somatomammotropin, is produced by the placenta, provides nutrition to the fetus, stimulates the milk glands in the breast when the mother breastfeeds. Estrogen: This group of hormones helps in the development of female sexual characteristics, normally formed in the ovaries and produced by the placenta during pregnancy to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Progesterone: This hormone, produced by the ovaries and placenta during pregnancy, stimulates the thickening of the uterine lining for a fertilized egg to implant.

2. Supplementing hormonal drugs for pregnant women

The main female hormone regulating drugs that support pregnancy are progesterone and estrogen . These are the most commonly prescribed hormone supplements that help support fetal growth and development. It is not uncommon for women with polycystic ovary syndrome to experience an imbalance of sex hormones, especially low levels of progesterone.

3. The need for additional hormonal drugs for pregnant women

If a woman becomes pregnant thanks to infertility treatments, the doctor can continue to maintain the prescription of hormonal supplements for the pregnant woman as part of the treatment regimen, which is a need for treatment. standard treatment for in vitro fertilization, frozen embryo transfer, or for use in pregnant women using donor eggs or injecting gonadotropins.
The doctor can measure a woman's estrogen and progesterone levels and decide when to start taking hormone supplements as a precaution during pregnancy
3.1. Progesterone supplements Progesterone supplements come in many forms, the most common being intramuscularly or vaginally (suppositories, tablets, or gels). How to take progesterone depends on what your doctor prescribes.
If pregnant women are taking injectable progesterone, take medication as prescribed, pregnant women can apply cold compresses to the skin first to numb the skin, then apply heat and gently massage for the drug to be absorbed. Pregnant women who use vaginal suppositories or tablets need to lie down for at least half an hour after inserting the medicine to ensure that the medicine is absorbed into the vaginal mucosa, wear a pair of underwear to prevent "leakage" of the medicine. .
3.2. Estrogen Supplements Estrogen is also available in several different forms, namely patches and pills. Intramuscular estrogen can also be used but is less common. If indicated to use patches containing drugs, pregnant women need to ensure the quantity and frequency of changing patches. Ask your doctor about a specific spot to apply the patch, or anywhere you feel comfortable.
Hormonal supplements are safe to take during early pregnancy when prescribed by doctors experienced in hormone therapy.

4. What is the risk of using hormonal drugs for pregnant women?

A study was conducted to investigate whether the use of female sex hormones during pregnancy is a risk factor for breast cancer and later cancers related to maternal estrogen and genital malformations in the neonate. A group of 2052 hormone-exposed mothers, 2038 control mothers and their 4130 infants were collected from obstetric centers in Helsinki between 1954 and 1963. Search through records.
Exposure is checked by drug type (estrogen, progestin) and by duration of drug use (early pregnancy, late pregnancy). There were no statistically significant differences between groups for maternal cancers, either overall or for hormone-dependent cancers. The total number of childhood malformations was recorded, of which genital malformations were higher in boys than in those born. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of cancers among these children.
As can be seen, research supports the hypothesis that estrogen or progestin therapy during pregnancy can cause malformations in children exposed in utero but does not support hypothesized that the drug could cause cancer in the mother later in life.

It is possible to use hormonal drugs for pregnant mothers, however, before using, pregnant women need to be examined and do quantitative tests to be considered to use the drug with the most appropriate dosage. Depending on the case, the doctor will have different instructions.
The use of drugs during pregnancy should be observed and monitored with a specialist. With many years of experience in the examination and treatment of obstetrics and gynecological diseases, Vinmec International General Hospital has become one of the major health care centers capable of examining and screening. screening and treatment of many diseases specialized in obstetrics and gynecology. Therefore, in the case of pregnant women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome as well as other diseases during pregnancy, they can go to Vinmec International General Hospital to examine, monitor and receive indications for use. suitable medicine, comprehensive health protection for both mother and baby.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

References: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, verywellhealth.com, hopkinsmedicine.org, msdmanuals.com