According to researchers in the United States, if pregnant women frequently use ACE inhibitors for blood pressure management during the first three months of pregnancy, the child is at a higher risk of birth defects.
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ACE inhibitors, a common ingredient in blood pressure medications, may adversely affect fetal development.
The study was conducted on 29,507 newborns.
Results: Among the 209 children whose mothers used ACE-inhibiting medications during the first trimester, 18 children exhibited physical defects, with half of them having heart problems.
The rate of birth defects in newborns whose mothers used ACE medications is 2.7 times higher compared to those whose mothers did not use these drugs.
Blood pressure medications that do not contain ACE inhibitors do not carry this risk.
In the United States, ACE-inhibiting medications are only available by prescription, with approximately 149 million prescriptions issued each year for these drugs.
Researchers advise that pregnant women and those planning to conceive in the near future should avoid medications containing ACE inhibitors.
Pediatrician William O. Cooper from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, who led the study, stated: “Being aware of this risk is crucial for pregnant women as well as their healthcare providers, so that blood pressure medications can be adjusted promptly.”
