FAMILY MEDICAL CARE: CONTRACEPTIVE PILL AND HORMONE PRODUCTS IN PREGNANCY
In very recent times, more and more
attention is being given to congenital abnormalities and to the
possible causes.
With increasing frequency, added pieces of
well-documented evidence come from leading research hospitals in
various parts of the world. Collectively, these make interesting and
thought-provoking reading.
It has become apparent that the use of
hormonal products in early pregnancy could be a consistent and
important cause of many congenital deformities. Such may be taken by
an unsuspecting mother in a variety of ways-.
The most likely is to continue taking the
contraceptive pill even though pregnancy has occurred. Although
pregnancy is most unlikely when taking the Pill strictly as
prescribed, various situations can arise where it is inadvertently
missed. Or the patient may suffer from a gastric upset for a few
days, and unwittingly vomit the Pill.
Protection lapses
and pregnancy may subsequently develop. The Pill may be continued
with the woman unaware of a pregnancy developing in her womb.
Although at present the evidence is still
fairly sparse, enough documentation is on record that indicates this
may produce developmental problems. So, pregnancy and the Pill seem
to be definitely not recommended.
Another potentially serious cause of
trouble in the same field is the use of hormonal products for
performing pregnancy tests.
Before the widespread availability of the
immuno-chemical pregnancy tests (which test the urine or blood for
the presence of H.C.G.), hormones were used as a common method of
checking.
This was administered in the form of
injections or tablets. If the patient bled after the hormones, it
was presumptive evidence she was not pregnant. But if bleeding did
not eventuate, it was highly probable she was pregnant.
These tests were in use for many years, and
were considered to be safe from producing congenital abnormalities.
But evidence began to accumulate that this was not always the case.
Now a substantial amount of evidence indicts the use of these
hormonal products.
In Australia they
have been
banned
by
the
governmental authorities, and their use has virtually stopped.
Similar precautions will no doubt be taken in other countries also,
and it is highly probable this has already occurred by now.
Certain other hormonal products have also
been incriminated. Progesterone, which was once given to mothers who
showed a tendency to miscarry, has been incriminated as producing
abnormalities in the developing infant. It is now no longer
recommended for these purposes.
Another serious problem which has come to
recognition only in the past few years is the long-term effect of
certain hormonal preparations given to mothers during pregnancy. It
seems that quite a few women were treated with the hormone
stilboestrol.
Although their babies appeared to be normal, many cases of vaginal
cancer have subsequently been reported in their female offspring,
several years later.
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GENERAL HEALTH
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