By
Pregnant women who take painkillers could be
harming the fertility of their unborn child, and even that of future
generations, a new study has showed.
Researchers from Edinburgh University looked at
the effects of paracetamol and ibuprofen on samples of human foetal testes and
ovaries.
The results indicated that ovaries exposed to
paracetamol for one week had more than 40 per cent fewer egg-producing cells.
The effect of ibuprofen was even greater as the number of cells was almost
halved.
Girls produce all of their eggs in the womb, so if
they are born with a reduced number it could lead to an early menopause,
experts say.
The studt showed that painkiller exposure during
pregnancy could have effects on unborn boys as well.
Testicular tissue exposed to the drugs had around
a quarter fewer sperm-producing cells.
Scientists found that the drugs can trigger
mechanisms in the cells that make changes in the structure of DNA, leaving
“marks” that can be inherited.
As a result, the effects of painkillers on
fertility may be passed on to future generations.
“We could encourage women to think carefully
before taking painkillers during pregnancy and to follow the existing
guidelines – taking the lowest
possible dose for the shortest time possible,” said Dr Rod Mitchell, who led
the research
