Taking ibuprofen, a widely used pain or fever medication, during pregnancy could disrupt the development of the reproductive system of the unborn boy, according to a study published Friday in the journal Scientific Reports.
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“All the clues of evidence converge towards great caution regarding the use of this drug in the 1st trimester of pregnancy” summarizes Bernard Jégou, a researcher from the French National Institute for Health Research (Inserm), who coordinated the study.
Available without a prescription in many countries including France, ibuprofen is one of the drugs generally authorized in early pregnancy like aspirin or paracetamol.
According to the study, one in ten women admit to taking it during pregnancy, but this number could, according to some estimates, reach 3 out of 10.
Several epidemiological studies published in recent years have shown an association between taking these painkillers during pregnancy and the occurrence of adverse effects in unborn children (low birth weight, prematurity, asthma …).
Some also mentioned increased risks of abnormalities in the reproductive system of unborn boys, mainly cryptorchidism, poor testicular descent – which increases the risk of infertility or testicular cancer -, or hypospadias, malformation of the urethra.
To confirm these data, Inserm researchers working at the Institute for Research in Health, Environment and Work (IRSET), with Scottish and Danish colleagues, undertook to study the effects of ibuprofen on testicles of a human fetus, “recovered from abortion products”, with the agreement of the women concerned.
In a first study, the testes were cultured and in a second, they were grafted onto mice.
The researchers found that ibuprofen causes disruption of the hormonal system in the human fetal testicle, suppressing the production of various testicular hormones including testosterone “which controls primary and secondary sex and testicular descent”.
All the effects were observed in early pregnancy (mainly between the eighth and tenth weeks) and for doses similar to those found in women who took ibuprofen.
However, no effect was found during tests conducted in the second quarter.
According to Mr. Jégou, the risk of cryptorchidism would be doubled in little boys born to women who took ibuprofen, which should “send a signal” to the health authorities so that they reconsider their recommendations regarding the taking of this medication in early pregnancy.
In January, the French drug agency ANSM recalled that all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen, are contraindicated from the 6th month of pregnancy due to their toxicity (renal damage and cardiopulmonary) for the fetus or newborn.
For Mr. Jégou who also worked on the effects of paracetamol and aspirin, the message to pregnant women is clear: “You can take ibuprofen punctually and in small doses but above all do not take it at the same time as other painkillers to avoid greatly increasing the risk of cryptorchidism. “
With AFP
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