Percocet While Pregnant?

Hi C.,
It is safe to take percocet during pregnancy. The two components of the drug are acetaminophen (tylenol) and oxycodone (opioid). Opioids are not mutagenic or teratogenic, meaning they don't cause changes at the cellular level or as a baby is growing in the womb. The one time you need to be conerned with taking opioids during pregnancy is if you are on them chronically at the time of delivery. If that is the case, the baby would be born with some dependence and would need to be weaned off the opioid to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
More concerning at this point would be uncontrolled pain. This causes vasoconstriction leading to decreased blood flow through the placenta, and can decrease the oxygen levels of the baby. This can do more long-term harm to the baby than a short-term course of opioids.
Just for a clarification of a couple statements made earlier: Tylenol #3 and percocet are not the same drug. T#3 has codiene in it as opposed to oxycodone. Of all the opioids, codiene is the most constipating and is not as potent oxycodone.
Also, the drugs that are being mentioned are opioids, they bind to the opioid receptors in the body and are either derived from an opioid or made synthetically. Narcotic is a legal term and has a negative connotation associated with it. For people requiring opioid-therapy to manage pain, the incorrect use of the term narcotic can leave a stigma that prevents them from adequately managing their pain. There was a small thread of this already being woven into these responses.

2 moms found this helpful

Well, like most of the other responses, I had massive pain with my second pregnancy. I was going to school full-time and I just got out for winter break. Well, I started getting horrible gallstones (which I was told was very common in pregnant women, for some reason) and I couldn't even lay still in bed without writhing in pain. I was in the hospital, all but five days, during my "vacation." During that time I was on morphine and percocet to control the pain. This saved my sanity and I was thankful for some relief from the pain. The doctors didn't want to remove my gallbladder, but they eventually did a small surgery to relieve the pain. But, being on the drugs for a month out of the pregnancy didn't harm my little guy. I agree with all the scientific talk and can vouch that it's true. I am a biology major and I've done my own research on pregnancy and stress. The pain (even if it isn't debilitating) is causing stress on your baby. If you need some relief now and then to keep yourself calm and comfortable, then I say you should go for it.

2 moms found this helpful

C. - When I was pregnant with my second I cut the tip of my finger off! OUCH! The doctors were not able to put that piece back on, so my middle finger is about 3/4 of an inch shorter than it's supposed to be.
I was given percocet as well as some drugs to make sure it didn't get infected. I also was a bit hesitant about taking the drug but was in CRAZY pain so decided, after talking to a phamacist, that I was going to take the drug.
My son is as healthy as an ox, a smart, mischevious little boy, and none of the drugs I had to take in the beginning of my pregnancy affected him.
L.
PS. I wasn't sure if I trusted the ER doc's when they told me I could take that medication, so I made sure to talk to a pharmacist. Mine had a HUGE book of all the medications and what the affects were for pregnancy's and mixing drugs, ect. You could always ask them if you are not sure. I took my "drugs" 4 years ago, and you never know if the rules have changed, so I would probably just check to make sure.

2 moms found this helpful

I know it's scary to be taking a narcotic while pregnant but it can be done. I took different narcotics(I was in an accident)while pregnant with my oldest now 5 years. I took both percocet and vicodin my entire pregnancy. My daughter is an extremely smart little girl with absolutely no problems. Take it as you see fit if you are indeed unsure of it or if you want to brave it out go without. Best of luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi C.
It's okay to take it moderation Im sure the doc stated how many is allowed a day for your babies saftey... if your tense and in pain thats not good for the baby.. and what you have is so very painful..
good luck

1 mom found this helpful

It depends on how long you have to wait. I had a kidney stone that passed three weeks before my daughter was born. I ended up in the hospital for 5 days and had to take demerol for the first day. It was well worth the trade off, believe you me.

If you can still walk around, do the things you want to do and sleep easily, don't take the perocet. If you have trouble doing those things, take the perocet, but don't drive. Some people have terrible reactions to that drug, so take care when you take it.

1 mom found this helpful

Well, percoset is a category C drug - meaning there isn't real evidence about whether or not it can cause problems for a developing fetus. It seems like the biggest concerns are that it can be addictive, and may cause withdrawal symptoms in a new born. I'm guess your short term dosing minimizes the risk of addiction, and thats why your doc. thinks it is okay.

FWIW, i take a category C drug while pregnant because it treats asthma, and the consideration is that breathing outweighs the possibility of danger to the fetus. So, does your pain management outweigh the possibility of danger to the fetus?? Does it is you take into account that physical and mental stress in the mom has also been shown to cause lower birth weights and possible gestation problems?

Seems like your other option is to take teylenol at your maximum dose and deal with residual pain. Or take the percoset minimally and well spaced, and deal with the residual pain. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

I took percocet for a shoulder surgery and recovery my entire pregnancy with my twins. I have 2 beautiful 8 month old girls with no ill effects from doing so. I also had to take it during a prior pregnancy for round ligament pain for a short time, and she's fine too.

I have a friend that had to take it her entire pregnanacy (and it was a LOT of percocet!) for a car accident she had been in prior to her pregnancy and her 18 mo old baby boy is perfectly fine too.

I was told he stress of trying to deal with the pain is more harmful to the baby than the percocet. The doctors don't prescribe things that are harmful to the baby. It says when looked up, there are no adverse effects on the baby, just to try to be off of it by the end of the 3rd trimester to avoid withdrawal symptoms after the baby is born.

You can look it up on the Mayo Clinic or John Hopkins (look under the cancer studies) for information on percocet during pregnancy. Percocet is only a Class B drug, the same as anything else you would take during pregnancy.

Your baby will be fine! Take the meds so you can relieve your stress and pain so it doesn't affect your baby! I'm not a fan of taking stuff while pregnant, but I felt much better not wanting to chew my arm off.

Hope you feel better soon!

K.

Most drs wouldnt suggest something harmful during pregnancy.
I agree that it is in your best interest to take the med. Not only will it help with your pain, but it can help on the physical aspect also. Your body will be less stressed without the pain, which in turn is healthier for the baby.

I have a friend who had kidney stones with her last pregnancy. She was on Vicodin for awhile, then had to switch to percocet because of the pain. Her DD is fine.

Think about it this way: which is worse, a drug that is filtered through the placenta or the increased stress your body has when it's in pain.

I say listen to your heart. If you can deal with the pain then don't take the meds. I would hate for something to happen to the pregnancy and you feel guilty about it. On the other hand if the pain is too much then you have to listen to the doctor and trust they know what they are talking about. It also never hurts to ask a second opinion about the drug and pregnancy. I know they give it to nursing moms after child birth so I'm guessing it is fairly safe.

Your body's reaction to the pain you're having is probably more of a concern to your physician. Your blood pressure spikes along with other systemic reactions. The short term prescription is within limits. If you weren't pregnant, you wouldn't hesitate. Leading a healthy life shouldn't be limited to our preganancies, it's just someone else's life is dependent upon our choices. Your doctor (or their temporary replacement) is aware of what a developing fetus can and can not tolerate. What impact is the cyst going to have on your baby's in-utero development? And if it were to burst, what will be the impact to your pregnancy? Those are a couple of the questions I'd be asking right now, especially if the pain is so intense at 4 months? Take good care, get good care. Keep us posted on how you're doing.