Ultram first trimester pregnancy

Ultram first trimester pregnancy use is a question asked by many women who have difficulty with chronic pain. The generic name of the medication Ultram is tramdol. Tramadol is a non-narcotic pain reliever but it has some narcotic properties. Women who have had problems in the past with addiction to narcotics shouldnt take Ultram because it will trigger another addiction.

When Ultram was first released it was released as a non-addictive pain killer. Then in 1996 Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, the manufacturer of Ultram, sent a warning letter to U.S. doctors that following actual experience by patients the drug was addictive and would develop dependence, withdrawal and possible abuse from patients.

Unfortunately, many women have suffered injuries or problems that require chronic pain medication to relieve their pain and allow them to function throughout the day. Pregnancy just muddies the waters for these women. Many times the chronic pain is back pain. A slowly enlarging belly coupled with medications that may affect the growing baby put these women in a tight spot.

Medications given to women who are pregnant fall into one of five Categories which range from Category A that has no effect on the baby to Category X that has demonstrated risk to the baby. Many women who suffer from chronic pain have used Ultram for years to help control the pain. Unfortunately Ultram is a Category C drug.

What this means is that Ultram falls into the category of medications that have been found to produce adverse effects on the babies of animals. There havent been controlled studies in women or studies in women and animals arent available. Category C drugs should be given only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the baby.

Ultram first trimester pregnancy pain relief appears to be contraindicated when looking at the animal studies. There have been no well-controlled studies in women but the animal studies have shown toxicity to the animal fetuses. There were some transient delays in development or behavior in the animals that were delivered.

Ultram first trimester pregnancy pain relief may best be put off until the second and third trimesters. Women who have taken Ultram chronically during pregnancy deliver babies who are dependent upon the medication and suffer withdrawal symptoms. Utram crosses the placenta and is found at 80% in the cord blood in women given Ultram during labor. There have been no studies that show the effect of Ultram on the later growth, development and functional maturation of the child.