14 Percent of Pregnant Women in U.S. Use Pain Pills during Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a particularly crucial time for the development of the child and the overall well-being of the mother. As a great part of the future child's health depends on the welfare of the mother-to-be, many health officials often advise against expectant mothers taking certain medications, food or drinks in over to avoid complications that could potentially occur. Yet a recent study showed that around 14 percent of women in the United States take pain pills while pregnant, otherwise known as narcotic medications.

For the study, researchers analyzed narcotic painkiller use, including oxycodone and hydrocodone in over 530,000 women. Study participants gave birth between 2005 and 2011, all around the age of 31. Based on each individual's insurance plan, the researchers worked to determine drugs taken.

Findings showed that women who took narcotic painkillers typically did so for less than one week, with roughly six percent of the women prescribed these drugs during the first or second trimester. Close to 6.5 percent of women were prescribed these medications during their third trimester, while 2.2 percent of women had been prescribed narcotic pills three or more times throughout their pregnancy.

A common cause for narcotic use during pregnancy was back pain, according to 37 percent of the participants. Abdominal pain, joint pain, migraine and fibromyalgia were all also other things many experienced.

"Nearly all women experience some pain during pregnancy," said study author Dr. Brian Bateman, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, via Medical Xpress. "However, the safety of using opioids to manage their pain remains unclear. Ultimately, we need more data to assess the risk/benefit ratio of prescribing these drugs to women and how it may affect their babies."

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More information regarding the study can be found via Anesthesiology.