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Update Date: 2010/11/10 [Compiled by Wei Guo-Jin / Comprehensive Report]
Scientists from Finland, Denmark, and France have discovered that pregnant women who take common mild painkillers, either alone or in combination, significantly increase the likelihood of giving birth to boys with cryptorchidism. The period between 4 to 6 months of pregnancy is particularly high-risk. Cryptorchidism may lead to poor sperm quality and increase the risk of testicular cancer in male infants later in life.
Doctors typically advise pregnant women to avoid medication, but mild painkillers such as aspirin, paracetamol, and ibuprofen are sometimes considered safe under certain circumstances. Surveys indicate that half of pregnant women in Western countries take mild painkillers.
The study surveyed two groups of women: one in Denmark, with 834 participants, and another in Finland, with 1,463 participants. They were asked about their medication use during pregnancy, and their male infants were examined for cryptorchidism at birth.
Danish and French scientists who contributed to the research also conducted studies on mice, finding that female mice given painkillers during the critical fetal organ development stage gave birth to male offspring with insufficient testosterone levels. This suggests that such painkillers act as endocrine disruptors, or so-called "environmental hormones," and are one of the culprits behind declining male fertility.
The human study revealed that pregnant women who took more than one type of painkiller had a sevenfold higher risk of giving birth to boys with cryptorchidism compared to those who took none. Women between 4 to 6 months of pregnancy were at the highest risk—taking any painkiller during this period doubled the risk of cryptorchidism in male infants. Taking ibuprofen or aspirin could increase the risk fourfold, while mixing more than one type of painkiller raised the risk by up to 16 times. However, no effects were observed when taking a single painkiller during the first three months or the seventh to ninth months of pregnancy.
Dr. Laveus from Copenhagen’s King’s Hospital in Denmark, who led the study, stated that while pregnant women might want to take painkillers to alleviate discomfort, as biologists, they would not recommend it. "Therefore, we urge pregnant women to consult their doctors before taking any medication." The findings were published in the journal *Human Reproduction*.
Patel from the UK’s Royal Pharmaceutical Society noted that while the study highlights the impact of painkillers on fetal development, further research is needed to determine the extent of their effects on male fertility.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 101110/ 78/ 2glx3. html
Pregnant Women Taking Painkillers May Harm Male Infants' Fertility
Scientists from Finland, Denmark, and France have discovered that pregnant women who take common mild painkillers, either alone or in combination, significantly increase the likelihood of giving birth to boys with cryptorchidism. The period between 4 to 6 months of pregnancy is particularly high-risk. Cryptorchidism may lead to poor sperm quality and increase the risk of testicular cancer in male infants later in life.
Doctors typically advise pregnant women to avoid medication, but mild painkillers such as aspirin, paracetamol, and ibuprofen are sometimes considered safe under certain circumstances. Surveys indicate that half of pregnant women in Western countries take mild painkillers.
The study surveyed two groups of women: one in Denmark, with 834 participants, and another in Finland, with 1,463 participants. They were asked about their medication use during pregnancy, and their male infants were examined for cryptorchidism at birth.
Danish and French scientists who contributed to the research also conducted studies on mice, finding that female mice given painkillers during the critical fetal organ development stage gave birth to male offspring with insufficient testosterone levels. This suggests that such painkillers act as endocrine disruptors, or so-called "environmental hormones," and are one of the culprits behind declining male fertility.
The human study revealed that pregnant women who took more than one type of painkiller had a sevenfold higher risk of giving birth to boys with cryptorchidism compared to those who took none. Women between 4 to 6 months of pregnancy were at the highest risk—taking any painkiller during this period doubled the risk of cryptorchidism in male infants. Taking ibuprofen or aspirin could increase the risk fourfold, while mixing more than one type of painkiller raised the risk by up to 16 times. However, no effects were observed when taking a single painkiller during the first three months or the seventh to ninth months of pregnancy.
Dr. Laveus from Copenhagen’s King’s Hospital in Denmark, who led the study, stated that while pregnant women might want to take painkillers to alleviate discomfort, as biologists, they would not recommend it. "Therefore, we urge pregnant women to consult their doctors before taking any medication." The findings were published in the journal *Human Reproduction*.
Patel from the UK’s Royal Pharmaceutical Society noted that while the study highlights the impact of painkillers on fetal development, further research is needed to determine the extent of their effects on male fertility.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 101110/ 78/ 2glx3. html