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Acyclovir in Pregnancy
Last reviewed: 10.08.2022
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Pregnancy is a special period in a woman's life, when the future mother is responsible not only for her health, but also for the life and well-being of the unborn baby. Many drugs taken during pregnancy can cause irreparable harm to the child, so the choice of medication should be approached very carefully. Can I take acyclovir during pregnancy? We will try to answer this question in detail.
Can Acyclovir Be Pregnant?
Acyclovir is a popular antiviral agent that has a disastrous effect on the herpes simplex virus, tinea syndrome and chickenpox. It is used mainly by dermatologists for infectious lesions of skin and mucous membranes.
The drug can be injected into the body (intravenously), orally (through the GI tract) and externally (ointment or cream).
Most drugs are most dangerous in the first trimester of pregnancy. This is due to the fact that up to 8-9 weeks, the formation of the most important organs and systems of the baby, and the effect of certain drugs can provoke anomalies of their development. In addition, at this very time the developing embryo does not yet know how to defend itself against various toxins and harmful substances, relying on everything on the future mother.
The use of any medicines during pregnancy must necessarily be agreed with the doctor, in particular, this applies to acyclovir.
In the lactation period, the use of acyclovir is highly undesirable, since the active substance of the drug easily enters the breast milk.
As for the possibility of using acyclovir in pregnancy, the opinions of doctors differ somewhat here.
Is acyclovir harmful during pregnancy?
Most doctors resort to the use of acyclovir in pregnancy only in extreme cases, when a mother's viral illness can harm both her and the baby's future. Experimental scientific studies on animals have determined that the drug has the property of penetrating the placenta into the blood of the embryo, but its effect on the fetus, according to the results of recent studies, is of no danger.
Many experts are inclined to believe that the harm from a viral infection that is inflicted on a child is many times more dangerous than the effect on the fruit of a medicine, and there is a certain amount of truth in this.
Viral diseases adversely affect the course and outcome of pregnancy and labor, may lead to premature termination of pregnancy, fetal fading, lead to various pathologies and abnormalities of child development.
Particular attention during pregnancy should be given to the treatment of genital herpes: the consequences of this viral disease are extremely negative for the child, so you need to treat the disease without waiting for the baby to be born.
Acyclovir during pregnancy
Acyclovir is a synthetic drug with broad antiviral activity and stimulating the defenses of the body in the fight against infection. Sufficiently effective for all types of herpes.
During pregnancy, the most common use of acyclovir in the form of a cream: it is applied to the skin and mucous membranes, depending on the location of the infectious focus: on the lips, genitals and other affected areas. It is recommended to apply the cream every 3-4 hours for a week continuously.
Regarding the use of the cream, acyclovir in the first trimester of pregnancy should consult a doctor.
Intravenous use of acyclovir during pregnancy is not practiced.
Tablet forms of the drug can be used in the third trimester of pregnancy according to the indications with the obligatory consultation of your gynecologist and in the absence of an allergic reaction to this antiviral agent.
Acyclovir in tablets is prescribed for viral lesions of skin and mucous membranes in a dosage of 0.2-0.4 g five times a day. The duration of treatment is usually 5-7 days.
Eye acyclovir ointment is used for herpes of the cornea of the eye, the ointment is placed under the conjunctiva every four hours.
Acyclovir is fairly well tolerated by pregnant women, but sometimes there may be some side effects:
- oral administration of the drug may be accompanied by digestive disorders, epigastric pain, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, impaired liver and urinary system, erythrocyte and leukocytopenia;
- external application of ointments or creams can provoke surface irritation of tissues, signs of inflammatory reaction (hyperemia, swelling of the skin), drying out of the skin;
- any form of acyclovir can cause an allergic reaction in patients with hypersensitivity to certain medications.
Despite the severity of the reported adverse events, they are rarely seen, and the drug acyclovir is recognized as a fairly safe antiviral agent.
In connection with the latest studies, acyclovir ceased to be a contraindication when carrying a child, however, the appointment of the drug should be reasoned, and it should be taken under the supervision of the doctor.
Acyclovir Ointment in Pregnancy
The development of herpetic keratitis during pregnancy is a sufficient indication for the administration of ophthalmic ointment acyclovir, which accelerates the healing of the affected cornea and reduces the possibility of complications and dissemination of the herpes virus in the body.
Acyclovir ointment without special difficulties penetrates through the epithelial tissue of the cornea and determines the drug concentration of the drug in the eye liquor.
At the same time, the concentration of acyclovir in the blood remains negligible, so the negative effect on the fetus is minimal.
Local application of ophthalmic ointment provides for its application in the cavity of the lower conjunctival sac through equal intervals of time (every 4 hours). The drug is applied by a layer no longer than 1 centimeter.
With a significant decrease in the body's immune forces (chronic chronic diseases, autoimmune pathologies, critical disorders in nutrition), the use of ophthalmic ointment can be supplemented with oral administration of acyclovir. Such a decision must be made by the doctor on the basis of the results of laboratory studies.
[10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15]
Acyclovir cream during pregnancy
Cream acyclovir is used to lubricate herpetic injured skin and mucous membranes. The drug does not have a toxic effect on the body of a pregnant woman, and the blood counts so small that it is hardly worth claiming that acyclovir is a significant harm to the future baby. Much greater harm to the fetus can be treated with untreated herpes, especially genital and total localization.
The cream is usually applied to the affected area of the skin or mucous by the herpes, repeating the application every four hours. For large and extensive lesions, it is better to use ointment in gloves.
The earlier treatment with antiviral cream is started, the more favorable the prognosis of the disease. Treatment should be carried out before the absolute disappearance of inflamed vesicles: the finished treatment will protect against the appearance of rapid recurrences of herpes.
Acyclovir is available as a 3% cream for the treatment of mucous membranes, and 5% cream for the treatment of herpes skin.
Acyclovir Tablets in Pregnancy
The drug acyclovir in tablets is available in dosages of 200 mg, 400 mg or 800 mg.
The dosage of the drug is determined by the doctor, as well as the duration of treatment and the form of the medicine taken.
The effect of the tablet form of acyclovir on the course and outcome of pregnancy has been tested in some studies.
During the first test, over a thousand pregnant women were under observation, 700 of whom used acyclovir in the first half of pregnancy.
According to the results of this study, acyclovir was recognized as a safe antiviral drug that does not affect the risk of developmental anomalies in children born.
2010 was marked by the next study of acyclovir in Denmark, during which the history of pregnancy and childbirth was studied in 800,000 mothers, of which about 2,000 used aciclovir tablets in the first half of pregnancy. During this experiment, it was found that women taking an antiviral drug had a lower percentage of developmental abnormalities than those who did not take acyclovir.
The results of recent surveys have finally proved the efficacy and safety of acyclovir in the form of ointments, and in the form of tablets.
[19]
Acyclovir-acry in pregnancy
Acyclovir-acry is a kind of acyclovir drug we know, produced by the Russian pharmaceutical company Akrihin, founded back in 1936. It is a highly selective active antiviral ointment, consisting of five grams of active ingredient acyclovir, as well as additional substances: propylene glycol, vaseline oil, wax, polyethylene oxide.
The drug is used exclusively externally, lubricating the uneven layer of the skin with visible manifestations of herpes, while simultaneously capturing some healthy skin to prevent the spread of infection. For rapid healing of lesions, acyclovir-acry is recommended to be taken with the first barely noticeable symptoms of the disease, without waiting for the appearance of the blisters on the skin.
If the healing of herpes is delayed, dry skin, redness, burning, you should consult a doctor: sometimes the use of ointment can trigger the appearance of allergic drug dermatitis.
Acyclovir hexal during pregnancy
The drug acyclovir hexal is an antiviral soft cream, which is produced by the German pharmaceutical company Hexal AG. The cream contains 50 mg of active acyclovir, with the addition of arlatone, dimethicone, cetyl alcohol, vaseline, paraffin, propylene glycol and water.
Acyclovir hexal inhibits the activity of viral cells of herpes simplex, Varicella, Epstein-Barr, cytomegaloviruses. Usually the drug is prescribed for primary lesions of herpetic infection during pregnancy. If the pregnant woman has previously had the same type of infection, the rationale for the administration of acyclovir hexal is determined by the attending physician.
The drug is absorbed enough by the affected skin, it is excreted through the kidneys, so patients with marked problems of the urinary system should be prescribed with caution.
In the treatment of acyclovir, hexal of genital herpes in the therapeutic period should refrain from sexual intercourse, even in the absence of clinical symptoms.
The method of administration and dosage of acyclovir hexal does not differ from the use of a similar preparation of other firms.
Acyclovir in the planning of pregnancy
The stage of pregnancy planning is a very important period in the life of a married couple. Needless to say, the importance of the physical and psychological health of future parents for successful conception and full development of the intrauterine fetus is important. By the period of conception, it is necessary to properly prepare the body, both the mother and the father of the child.
During preparation for pregnancy it is important to give up all bad habits, eat right, avoid all sorts of low-calorie diets for the planning period, lead a healthy lifestyle.
It is equally important before the planning begins to treat all chronic and acute diseases in the body. As for the herpetic infection, unfortunately, getting rid of it completely is not possible: if one day you "picked up" the herpes virus, then you will remain its carrier for life. That is why, before the planned pregnancy, it is recommended to pass a preventive course of treatment of a viral infection, so that at the time of pregnancy, when the immune forces of the body weaken, reduce the chances of manifestation of herpetic exacerbation.
When planning conception in patients with frequent recurrent manifestations of herpes, the use of acyclovir for preventive purposes is recommended, accompanied by treatment with the use of immunostimulating agents and vitamin complexes.
Acyclovir in early pregnancy
The appearance of herpes in pregnant women in the early stages is quite common, because the woman's immunity is significantly reduced along with significant hormonal changes in the body. Herpetic eruptions in pregnant women pose a particular danger if they appear for the first time in their life, and this happens just during pregnancy. In this situation, the viral infection can penetrate directly into the embryo, giving rise to various pathologies in the future baby, and also seriously affecting the process of gestation itself. Therefore, acyclovir in the early stages of pregnancy can be irreplaceable, and its use is justified.
Since the reception of ointments and creams acyclovir can be considered safer in pregnancy than tablets or injections, in the first trimester, the use of external applications of the drug is recommended. The use of tablet forms of acyclovir can be prescribed after consultation with a physician: changing the standard dosage and the duration of taking the drug is done according to the indications.
[27]
Reviews about acyclovir in pregnancy
Among the numerous reviews on the use of acyclovir in pregnancy, most women who favor the use of the drug in the given period were identified. Many pregnant women believe that the harm of viral pathology for the embryo is more dangerous than the use of an antiviral drug, especially in the form of a cream. Numerous cases of using acyclovir in tableted form have been described, which had no negative consequences for the course of pregnancy and normal intrauterine development of the fetus. In isolated cases, women noted problems with nurturing and self-feeling, but subsequently it was usually found that these conditions were caused by some other reasons, but not by the use of the drug acyclovir.
A significant number of pregnant women are afraid of taking any medications at all during the gestation period, including acyclovir. However, as practice shows, the use of antiviral antiherpetic drugs can often be justified and appropriate to prevent the dangerous consequences of herpes infection.
If it so happened that you are the carrier of herpetic infection, you should not start the disease, but you should not be afraid of it. Yes, the fight against the herpes virus is unpleasant and can last for a lifetime, however, the correct approach to treatment, regular preventive courses of stimulation of immunity, therapeutic procedures performed at the slightest signs of the disease - a guarantee that herpes will manifest in your body less and less.
Pregnancy is the responsible state of every woman. Having weighed all the pros and cons, choose the option that is most safe for you and your future child. Remember, you can take acyclovir during pregnancy, however, you should definitely consult a good doctor.
Attention!
To simplify the perception of information, this instruction for use of the drug "Acyclovir in Pregnancy" translated and presented in a special form on the basis of the official instructions for medical use of the drug. Before use read the annotation that came directly to medicines.
Description provided for informational purposes and is not a guide to self-healing. The need for this drug, the purpose of the treatment regimen, methods and dose of the drug is determined solely by the attending physician. Self-medication is dangerous for your health.