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Using painkillers while pregnant may reduce fertility in subsequent generations, warns a search. Tests conducted on rats stated when a mother received painkillers when pregnant, her female offspring had fewer eggs, smaller ovaries and smaller litters of babies as opposed to not confronted with the drugs, the investigation revealed. The findings are significant in the similarities regarding the reproductive systems of rats and humans, though it is actually difficult to directly extrapolate these leads to expectant mothers, they noted. ‘It’s donrrrt forget to remember that the study was conducted in rats not humans, however, there are several similarities forwards and backwards reproductive systems,’ said Richard Sharpe, professor within the University of Edinburgh in england. (Read: Prolonged using of paracetamol during pregnancy damaging child boys) Together with affecting a mother’s immediate offspring, the learning also showed that the consequence of drugs were extended to your subsequent generation of rats. The resulting females – the grand daughters from the mother given painkillers while carrying a child – also had reduced ovary size and altered reproductive function, said they. Exposed male offspring were also affected at birth – showing smaller degrees of cells that give rise to sperm in later life. However, their reproductive function recovered to normalcy levels when they reached adulthood, the investigation, published in the journal Scientific Reports, said. (Read: Beware! These 10 things could make you infertile!) Mothers-to-be should persist with current guidelines to implement painkillers at the smallest possible dose, to your least amount of time, the researchers suggested. Scientists tested the end results of two painkillers in pregnant rats – paracetamol in addition to a prescription-only painkiller called indomethacin, which belongs to the same class of drugs as ibuprofen and aspirin. Rats received the drugs throughout the course of a few days – four days for indomethacin or nine days for paracetamol. ‘These studies involved the employment of painkillers spanning a relatively long period. We currently will need to explore whether a shorter dose would have an identical effect, and just how these records could be usefully translated to human use,’ said co-author Richard Anderson, professor at the University of Edinburgh. (Read: 8 things while in the environment that may harm your child) Source: IANS Photo source: Getty images
