There are a number of medications pregnant women are told to avoid- today comes a new group to add to the list : ibuprofen and similar drugs.

A new study shows women who take meds like ibuprofen or naproxen (Aleve-type products) more than double their risk of miscarriage, especially when taken early in the pregnancy.

Whats not clear is how much ibuprofen it takes, how long you need to take it, or exactly when the risk ends– but it seems like a better safe than sorry situation. That is, these types of medicines should probably be avoided during pregnancy unless you have a clear-cut medical reason, and you understand the risks.

The reason these meds (called NSAIDS) may be a problem may be the fact they interact with chemicals in the body that affect the uterus, or womb. So take these drugs, and the uterus and developing baby inside may wind up reacting.

  NSAIDS come OTC and by Rx.
One other word of caution: if you are a regular popper of these kind of pills… and are planning pregnancy it may be a good idea to say goodbye to these drugs early– you may wind up having some on board before you know you are pregnant.

By the way, the rate of miscarriage in the general population is 15%. In this study, among NSAID users, the rate jumped to 35%.