By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben
Last week a story showed up in the industry trade journal U.S. Pharmacist minimizing the potential risks associated with topical steroid use by pregnant moms (http://www.uspharmacist.com/weekly_news_update/nl/43042/). Headlined “Moderate Topical Corticosteroid Use Doesn’t Adversely Affect Fetuses”, the article described research from Chang Gung University College of Medicine in Taiwan that was printed in the latest edition of JAMA dermatology.
The Taiwanese scientists studied 2,658 pregnant women who were exposed to topical corticosteroids and compared them to 7,246 pregnant women who were not exposed. They concluded that “this study reassuringly showed no associations of maternal topical corticosteroid exposure with orofacial cleft, preterm delivery (or) fetal death…”
Nice! Now doctors can “reassuringly” prescribe steroids for moms to be without worrying about toxicity to fetuses! Are you kidding me! Yes, I know that the medication in question is topically applied and not internally swallowed. Still, steroids are steroids and they are among the most deadly and toxic of all prescription medications. They are very fat-soluble ( i.e. they dissolve in fats and fatty tissues) and even if only tiny amounts traverse the skin barrier and enter into the blood stream a delicate and developing fetus can be at risk.
How can it be otherwise! This study and the disturbing conclusion cannot possibly be taken seriously by any medical professional or mom-to be. Steroids are only used to relieve symptoms of conditions not the conditions themselves. Does anyone really want to risk exposing their baby to toxic drugs simply to reduce symptomology?
Eczema, rashes other allergic reaction for which topical steroids are typically dispensed are sign of an immune system alert. They are the manifestations of a defensive response. The appropriate medial approach to a defensive response should be to figure out what is causing it. Not only will palliative, merely symptom-reducing measures potentially affect the fetus, even worse, an alerted and sensitized immune system in a pregnant woman will likely elicit a similar immune response in a fetus as well. As long as the offending agent is present in the mother’s system it will likely be present in the baby system as well. Mom’s does that sound good to you?
Do you really want to condemn your freshly-minted newborn to a lifetime of hypersensitivity and a hyperactive immune system? Pregnant women who are dealing with a topical skin condition and need relief can avoid having to expose themselves and their baby to topical or systemic toxic drugs by first of all addressing the cause, which is more than likely related to digestive system difficulties. Avoiding problem foods can help reduce or eliminate skin reactions and can prevent baby-to be from having to deal with mom’s immune response as well as its own.
All pregnant women and especially those prone to skin reactions and immune issues should be using probiotic supplements. Not only can they help reduce or eliminate skin reactions and improve mom’s immune and digestive health, they can provide benefits for her soon-to- be-born baby too as a healthy and robust gut flora community in a pregnant woman can contribute to a healthy a robust bacterial population in her developing fetus. In fact unlike drugs most nutritional supplements that mom uses can improve the health of her baby. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, MSM can be helpful, same Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Iodine and zinc and essential fats (especially DHA and EPA from fish oil) can help build a healthy baby-brain. And protein supplements can help build a healthy baby-body. Topical nonmedical relief can be obtained by using Zinc Oxide and/or Vitamin C cream both of which have calming and anti-irritant properties for the skin.
Bottom line: mom’s, forget what your doctor and the genius at JAMA recommend, the choice is yours: No matter what researcher’s say, common sense dictates that taking or applying medication cannot do anything for a baby or a mom’s health condition and can potentially disrupt fetal development . On the other hand, taking corrective measure to eliminate immune responses, and using nutritional supplements to support immune system health can eliminate skin and other conditions and build a vital robust fetus and baby. Seems pretty obvious…
