Analgesics and Anti-inflammatory Drugs Prescription during Pregnancy

This invited editorial addresses the prescription of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs during pregnancy. It reviews the conditions for which they are used, the risks of both under-treatment and treatment — including NSAIDs in the third trimester and recent concerns over acetaminophen and offspring reproductive development — and the limited evidence on their safety in pregnancy. It sets out five recommendations: prescription only by qualified professionals after full assessment; avoiding drugs where possible and using the lowest effective dose; preconception counselling and collaboration; honest information-sharing with pregnant women; and including pregnant women in drug trials. It closes with a comment on the cross-sectional study by Azhari Elamin and colleagues published in this issue.