Quite often, in modern medicine, the drug "Actovegin" is used for pregnant women. Naturally, many women worry about taking medications, especially when it comes to potent drugs. After all, as you know, during the period of gestation, chemicals not only affect the mother’s body, but also affect the developmental processes of the child.
So what is the medicine and what is its feature? What are the main indications for taking Actovegin? Why is this medicine prescribed for pregnant women? Is it possible the manifestation of adverse reactions? How do doctors and their patients respond from therapy? Answers to these questions will be useful to many expectant mothers.
Composition and form of release of the drug
Today, there are several forms in which Actovegin is produced and used. Tablets for pregnant women are more preferable, although in especially severe cases, the doctor prescribes a solution for injection. In addition, in pharmacies you can find ointments and gels (used to treat skin lesions), as well as eye drops (indicated for various eye diseases).
"Actovegin" is a natural preparation, which is a fraction obtained from the blood of calves after purification from high molecular weight proteins. Due to its unique composition, in most cases the medicine is safe for the patient - the therapy is very well tolerated. The fraction contains a large number of useful substances, including:
- low molecular weight peptides - regulate almost all physiological processes of the body, while rarely provoking an allergic reaction;
- amino acids - elements necessary for the synthesis of necessary protein molecules, including enzymes and hormones;
- nucleosides, intermediate products of carbohydrate and protein metabolism - are important for the synthesis of proteins and genetic material in new cells;
- electrolytes and trace elements - are necessary for every body, as they participate in almost all metabolic processes;
- antioxidants - protect cells from the harmful effects of free radicals (molecules that damage cell walls).
What properties does the drug have?
In many cases, doctors recommend the use of the drug Actovegin for pregnant women. Naturally, for women in position, the pharmacological properties of the drug are an important issue. In fact, the benefits of this drug can hardly be overestimated, since it can activate the metabolism at the cellular level.
The drug increases the amount of glucose accumulated by cells, thereby accelerating the processes of ATP metabolism (energy accumulator in the human body). Thus, Actovegin activates all metabolic processes, improves trophism of tissues, and also improves blood circulation, including blood circulation in small vessels.
The main indications for use
There are many situations in which it is advisable to take the drug "Actovegin". Why tablets or injections are prescribed for pregnant women, we will talk later. And for starters, you should familiarize yourself with the general indications for use:
- circulatory failure in the brain;
- various peripheral circulatory disorders ;
- recovery period after traumatic brain injury;
- violations of the tone of the vascular walls;
- phlebeurysm;
- trophic disorders, including pressure sores, malnutrition of skin tissues, the formation of trophic ulcers, etc .;
- treatment or prevention of radiation injuries of the body;
- burns.
How does the medicine affect the body of a pregnant woman?
As mentioned above, this drug improves blood flow to tissues and organs. Rather, it is its secondary effect, but it is thanks to this effect that doctors so often recommend Actovegin for pregnant women.
It’s no secret that one of the most common, and at the same time dangerous, complications during pregnancy is placental insufficiency. For one reason or another, blood flow to the tissues of the placenta is disrupted, which, as you know, provides the growing body of the child with the necessary nutrients and oxygen.
Circulatory failure can lead to placental abruption, miscarriage, or premature birth. Moreover, malnutrition of the fetus, hypoxia (oxygen starvation) can lead to improper laying and development of organs, the appearance of various anomalies and even intrauterine death.
The drug "Actovegin" is able to cope with a similar problem, it normalizes not only blood circulation, but also the metabolic processes in the mother's body.
The drug "Actovegin": why is it prescribed for pregnant women?
There are many factors in which the use of this medication is simply necessary. But there are several main indications for therapy:
- placenta previa;
- detection of detachment of the ovum;
- fetal hypoxia of the fetus (acute or chronic oxygen deficiency);
- if during ultrasound diagnostics a fetal growth retardation or dystrophy was detected;
- there is a threat of premature birth;
- varicose veins of a pregnant woman;
- diabetes in the expectant mother;
- late gestosis, severe toxicosis;
- if the patient has a history of fading or miscarriage in the past, the drug can be prescribed as a preventive measure;
- in some cases, the doctor prescribes a medicine for oligohydramnios;
- the formation of severe edema and the development (exacerbation) of hemorrhoids in women is also an indication for taking this drug (as a rule, this is part of complex therapy).
It should be understood that only a doctor can prescribe the use of the drug "Actovegin". Self-medication is extremely dangerous.
The drug "Actovegin": instructions for pregnant women
It is worth saying once again that in no case should you use this medicine on your own. Only a doctor can prescribe and select safe doses of Actovegin. Instructions for use for pregnant women look completely different - here the dose and schedule are determined individually. We can only highlight a few of the most popular schemes.
If we are talking about tablets, then patients are often recommended to take 1 -2 pcs. three times a day, preferably during or immediately after a meal. As for the Actovegin solution, for pregnant doses range from 5 to 20 ml. The drug is administered dropwise, so the contents of the ampoule are previously dissolved in a bottle of physiological saline. Sometimes the drug can be administered intramuscularly or intravenously (without an infusion apparatus), but in such cases, a single dose is not more than 5 mg.
The duration of the course of therapy depends on the patient's condition. As a rule, the solution is administered first through a dropper for 10-14 days (sometimes daily, sometimes every other day), after which the patient is transferred to intramuscular injection, and then to the tablet form of the drug. Treatment lasts about 4-6 weeks. On the other hand, when it comes to prevention, taking pills will be quite enough.
Are side effects possible?
It is immediately worth saying that adverse reactions during therapy are rarely recorded, especially if the patient has been prescribed the correct dose. Complications when using the drug are usually associated with hypersensitivity. Some women report skin rashes, itching, redness, swelling, and hives. Sometimes an injection can lead to a rapidly developing anaphylactic shock - that is why treatment is recommended to be carried out in stationary conditions.
Contraindications to therapy
In all cases, is it possible to prescribe the drug "Actovegin" for pregnant women? Why the drug is used, you already know. Fortunately, there are not so many contraindications to its use. The main limitation to therapy is hypersensitivity to any of its constituent components. By the way, the first injection, as a rule, is carried out in a hospital, since there is a high probability of developing an intense allergic reaction. Also, contraindications include the period of breastfeeding. The medicine is not used to treat patients suffering from heart or kidney failure.
Can the drug be dangerous for a pregnant woman?
In the official instructions for the medicine, you can read that pregnancy is a relative contraindication to therapy. This means that you can use the drug, but following clear rules and observing all safety precautions.
It is worth saying that this tool has not yet passed all clinical trials. Moreover, in many European countries this drug is not used for treatment. Domestic doctors respond positively about the medicine, considering it safe. A correctly selected dosage helps prevent the development of an allergic reaction and complications from the excretory system. Nevertheless, during therapy, a woman needs to carefully monitor her well-being - in case of any negative changes, she must urgently consult a doctor.
Are there any analogues of the medicine?
For one reason or another, far from all women, the drug Actovegin is suitable. What can the pharmaceutical market offer in this case? In fact, there are practically no analogues of this drug. The only tool that has almost the same properties and composition is Solcoseryl. It should be understood that only a doctor who is fully acquainted with the patient’s history and problems can make a decision about replacing the medicine. Self-medication, especially using such powerful drugs, is strictly prohibited.
Reviews of patients and doctors about the drug
Often, the obstetrician-gynecologist prescribes the drug "Actovegin" to his patient. For pregnant women, the use of any drug during the bearing of a child is a kind of stress, because it is almost impossible to foresee its effect on the fetus. What do patients who have already completed a course of therapy say?
For the most part, reviews are positive or neutral. Many women report significant improvements in their health status and during pregnancy, while other patients say that therapy did not bring any visible results. But some serious deterioration during treatment is extremely rare. Doctors also have a good opinion about the drug, since it helps prevent the development of a mass of problems, and childbirth and recovery period are much easier.
It should be understood that the drug will have a different effect on every woman, because here a lot depends on the individual characteristics of the body, as well as on the presence of a particular health problem. The main thing is to strictly follow the doctor's recommendations, monitor the state of health and well-being during the bearing of the child.