How to plan and prepare for a healthy pregnancy.) � �
Which medicines should I stop taking before I try to get pregnant? " � You should: � �
- Stop taking certain medicines used to treat high blood pressure. It is especially important to stop medicines called angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (usually called ACE inhibitors) and angiotensin receptor blockers (usually called ARBs). These medicines can cause birth defects. But dont stop your high blood pressure medicine on your own. High blood pressure can be harmful. Your doctor will switch you to a blood pressure medicine that is safe to take during pregnancy.
- Stop taking medicines called statins, which are used to lower cholesterol. These medicines have not been well studied in pregnant women. But doctors recommend stopping them, because there is a chance they could affect a baby's development.
Remember, by the time a woman discovers she is pregnant, her baby has already started to form many important body parts. That's why it is not enough to stop taking medicines that might be harmful when you learn you are pregnant. � �
If you get pregnant while taking any medicines, tell your doctors right away. They can explain any possible risks to your baby and help you decide how best to move forward. � �
Before you start trying to get pregnant, your doctors might want you to stop taking diabetes medicines that come in pill form, such as glyburide and metformin. They might want you to use insulin instead. � �
Will I need any tests before I start trying to get pregnant? " � Yes. You will need these tests: � �
- An eye exam (if you have not had one in the last 12 months) " � You will need to be checked for an eye disease called "diabetic retinopathy. " � This condition is caused by diabetes, and it can lead to vision loss or even blindness. Pregnancy can increase the chance that a woman will get diabetic retinopathy, and it can make the condition worse in women who already have it. If you have severe diabetic retinopathy, you might need to treat the condition before you get pregnant.
- Blood and urine tests to check the health of your kidneys " � People with diabetes are at risk for kidney disease. Pregnancy can worsen kidney disease that already exists.
- Blood pressure test " � Having high blood pressure during pregnancy can cause problems for you and your baby. If your blood pressure is too high, your doctors might give you medicines to treat it. But they will choose medicines that are safe to use during pregnancy. Some of the medicines normally used to treat high blood pressure are not safe to use during pregnancy.
- Blood tests to measure thyroid hormone levels " � Having normal thyroid hormone levels is very important for a developing baby. If your tests show that your thyroid hormone levels are too high or too low, you might need treatments to get them back to normal.
- Urine tests to check for infection " � Women with diabetes can have bladder or kidney infections and not know it. It's important to treat these before pregnancy.
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. � �
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. � �
Topic 16417 Version 2.0 � �
Release: 22.8 - C22.206 � �
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