NSAIDs and Pregnancy

If you're taking NSAIDs and pregnancy occurs, let your healthcare provider know. While these drugs have not been tested in pregnant women, they have caused problems to the fetus in previous animal studies. Taking NSAIDs at all during the third trimester should be avoided. A healthcare provider may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to a pregnant woman if the benefits outweigh the possible risks to the fetus.

 

Are NSAIDs Safe During Pregnancy? -- An Overview

Most healthcare providers do not recommend taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) during pregnancy because they can cause problems to the unborn child or complicate labor and delivery. You should avoid taking NSAIDs at all during the third trimester.
 

NSAIDs and Pregnancy Category C

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a pregnancy category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy. Pregnancy Category C is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans, but do appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. Also, medicines that have not been studied in any pregnant women or animals are automatically given a pregnancy Category C rating. A pregnancy Category C medicine may still be given to a pregnant woman if her healthcare provider believes that the benefits outweigh the possible risks to her unborn child.
 
The FDA has given NSAIDs a pregnancy Category C rating because when these medicines were tested in animals, problems were seen with the unborn fetus. These data suggest that NSAIDs could potentially cause harm to your unborn child. It is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines in the same way that humans do.
 

Recommendations for Using NSAIDs During Pregnancy

Before taking NSAIDs, let your healthcare provider know if you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant. He or she will consider both the benefits and the risks of taking NSAIDs during pregnancy before making a recommendation for your particular situation.
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;