Identify the "familiar" agents that are likely to have adverse effects on pregnancy

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Associate Professor, Doctor, Doctor Nguyen Viet Nhan - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.

Birth defects can occur if the mother does not protect the fetus from bad agents. Pregnant women need to recognize and avoid factors that can be dangerous for pregnancy.

1. Factors that can cause adverse effects on pregnancy

1.1 Medicines and functional foods

Medicine is a double-edged sword for pregnant women. Some antibiotics, acne drugs, anticoagulants, vitamin A, pain relievers... can seriously affect the development of the fetus and cause danger to pregnant women such as mental retardation. intelligence, fetal malformations, miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth or delay in labor or increased risk of postpartum haemorrhage,...
You also need to be careful with Oriental and Ayurvedic medicines , although traditional remedies can bring certain effects, but the origin and reliability of the remedies are issues that you need to consider.
Therefore, in pregnancy, before using any medicine, whether Eastern or Western medicine, whether it is a treatment drug or just a functional food, you need to consult a doctor or pharmacist before using it. for a safe pregnancy.

1.2 Beer and alcoholic beverages

Alcohol in particular and alcoholic beverages in general are dangerous enemies for pregnant women. Alcohol in alcohol easily passes through the placenta to the fetus, so drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, long-term effects on the child's personality and intelligence later on. You may have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs: fetal alcohol spectrum disorders) with symptoms of microcephaly, low birth weight, mental retardation, learning difficulties, speech delay, etc.
If you are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant Please stop drinking alcohol because there is no safe limit to drinking alcohol while pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

1.3 Cigarettes

Cigarettes have many toxic ingredients such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, lead, cyanide, ... which can seriously affect the fetus such as causing premature birth, low birth weight, causing birth defects in the oral cavity. such as cleft lip-jaw (cleft lip, cleft palate). Smoking during and after pregnancy also increases the risk of sudden infant death.
If you are a smoker or have to smoke passively because someone next to you smokes, please think about the consequences that smoking can have on your health and especially the health and future of your baby.

1.4 Types of cosmetics

Many cosmetics contain many toxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead, arsenic. These metals can penetrate the skin and mucous membranes, causing serious consequences for the development of the fetus, causing birth defects. Among the cosmetics that may contain harmful substances that you often use can be mentioned are nail polish and solvents to clean this paint, lipstick, etc. To minimize the use of cosmetics, if you have to use cosmetics, you should use cosmetics extracted from nature, with clear origins and containing benign ingredients.

1.5 X-Rays

X-rays are commonly used in the diagnosis of diseases of the skeletal system and organ systems, but X-rays can affect the development of the fetus, may cause miscarriage, birth defects, etc. .. The degree of influence depends on the dose of radiation, the frequency of exposure, the duration of exposure and the number of weeks of pregnancy.
Therefore, if during pregnancy you have a health problem that requires X-rays, CT scans or other imaging techniques that use X-rays, you need to inform your doctor that you are pregnant. or potentially pregnant for the doctor to consider and take protective measures to help you minimize the impact of X-rays if absolutely necessary.

1.6 Polluted environment

There have been many studies on the relationship between exposure to polluted environments and problems related to fetal development both during the time in the womb and after birth.
Exposure to harmful substances in the environment, ozone, NO2, noise pollution, pollution related to traffic density, etc. can affect the development of the fetus, increasing the risk of infection Birth defects and recent studies have questioned the link between environmental pollution and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) due to maternal exposure during pregnancy.
Think about this to try to avoid or minimize your potential exposure to harmful environments when you are planning to become pregnant or are pregnant.

1.7 Plant protection drugs

Food safety is a slogan that you hear almost every day. Pesticides, if used improperly, will have extremely serious consequences for your health and especially when you are pregnant. These drugs can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, birth defects and there are also studies that show a link between exposure to pesticides during pregnancy and have children with autism spectrum disorders.
Therefore be very cautious if you have to use pesticides in agricultural activities. Choose safe food for the family.

2. Prevent harmful agents to have a healthy pregnancy

Many factors in daily life can affect the development of the fetus, mothers need to understand to take appropriate preventive measures. This is also one of the contents of the pre-pregnancy health care and counseling program at Vinmec Times City.
Vinmec's pre-pregnancy health care and counseling program aims to support couples who are planning to become pregnant, providing useful information about pregnancy, counseling and pre-pregnancy check. Pregnancy helps minimize birth defects in children, instructs you on how to recognize and avoid factors that can be dangerous to pregnancy, ensures the health of both mother and baby during pregnancy and after birth.
The program includes the following: Support for you and your family when you need important information on issues related to family genetics; Screening to detect healthy people carrying disease genes; Prepare for assisted reproductive services; Pharmaceutical use and pregnancy; Vaccination Vaccination ; Take Vitamins and Folic Acid ; Food use and pregnancy; Prevent exposure to harmful chemicals and dangerous physical agents; Other health problems for you and your husband (wife)...

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.