Painkillers linked to some birth defects

ATLANTA, March 2 (UPI) -- The babies of women who took prescription opioid painkillers before or during early pregnancy have an increased risk of birth defects, U.S. researchers say.

A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta found 2 percent to 3 percent of mothers interviewed were treated with prescription opioid painkillers or analgesics -- codeine, oxycodone or hydrocodone -- just before or during early pregnancy. The study did not examine the illicit use of these medications, the researchers say.

The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found opioid analgesics were linked to several types of congenital heart defects as well as spina bifida, hydrocephaly, congenital glaucoma and gastroschisis compared with women who were not treated with these opioid medications.

"Women who are pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant, should know there are risks associated with using prescription painkillers," Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the CDC, said in a statement. "They should only take medications that are essential, in consultation with their healthcare provider."

The researchers used data from the CDC-sponsored National Birth Defects Prevention Study -- an ongoing population-based study to detect causes of birth defects.

The findings are published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.