Women taking anti-nausea drug Zofran to help combat the symptoms of morning sickness can now be reassured that it does not pose any threat to their babies, according to a new study led by Dr. Bjorn Pasternak of the State Serum Institute in Copenhagen, after a previous (small) study suggested it might raise the risk of cleft palates in newborns.
Pasternak and his team compared rates of miscarriages, stillbirths, birth defects, premature deliveries and low birth weight among women who used Zofran during pregnancy and those who did not. No harm was found from the drug, used in 1,970 of 608,385 pregnancies he reported.
Zofran, sold by GlaxoSmithKline and its generic form for treating nausea from cancer treatments and other causes is currently the primary choice for treating morning sickness.
“Women should not be afraid to use it, if they need it,” stated Dr. Iffath Hoskins, a high-risk pregnancy specialist at NYU Langone Medical Center, and a spokesperson for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. :It’s effective and it is safe.”
On fact, she noted, “poor nutrition because of excessive vomiting can harm the woman and her fetus.”
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