2022-09-06

Can Pregnant Women Use Medical Patch?

01. Can a pregnant woman apply Medical patch?

Many people use Medical patch to relieve pain in their limbs, but it should be used with caution for pregnant women or those who are preparing for pregnancy. Generally speaking, the basic requirement for medication during pregnancy is that the medication used has no significant adverse effects on the pregnant woman and that it has no significant direct or indirect adverse effects on the embryo or fetus in the womb.

02. Types of Medical patch that are not suitable for use by pregnant women

Many components of the drug are absorbed by the body. In addition, modern topical patch preparation processes have generally been improved to increase transdermal absorption and bioavailability. Therefore, the effects of topical patches on pregnant women and fetuses cannot be ignored. Ointments with the following ingredients are particularly unsuitable for use during pregnancy.

Chinese herbal medicines containing toxic ingredients and harsh medicinal properties are strictly prohibited for use by pregnant women. These ingredients not only cause direct harm to the pregnant woman and the fetus, but may also cause uterine contractions, resulting in fetal asphyxia or miscarriage.

2. Pregnant women should be cautious in using herbal medicines such as those that promote menstruation and resolve blood stasis, those that smooth and clear orifices, those that move "Qi" and break stagnation, and those that are hot and pungent. Most of the medical patches for arthritis of the back and knees and bruises contain ingredients that promote blood circulation and resolve blood stasis, relieve swelling and pain, and disperse cold and dampness, such as musk, frankincense, safflower, myrrh, peach kernel, angelica, chuanxiong, etc. The instructions for these medicines often indicate "use with caution during pregnancy" or "prohibited during pregnancy. "The most explicit of these is musk. The most explicit of these is musk. Musk contains musk ketones, which have a stimulating effect on the nervous system, cause excitement in the uterus, enhance rhythmic contractions, and resist egg laying and early pregnancy, so musk is prohibited for pregnant women.

The volatile substances such as camphor and ice chips, which are often contained in ointments, are also toxic to the mother-to-be and the fetus.

4. Special attention should be paid to "Medical patch", which contains red tannin in its formula, a compound containing lead, and must not be used by pregnant women.

03. Reasons why Medical patch is not suitable for pregnant women

Another very important reason why the Medical patch is not suitable for pregnant women is that many mothers-to-be have pain in the lower back and the Medical patch will be applied to the lower back. According to Chinese medicine, "the waist is the capital of the kidneys", which is at the same level as the uterus, and the kidney acupoint is located in the waist, which is an important point to calm and protect the fetus. 

Therefore, applying Medical patch to the lumbar region is likely to affect the fetus. In addition, for non-pregnant women, the use of the Medical patch should be suspended during menstruation, especially in the lumbar iliac region. Low back pain is a relatively common occurrence in pregnant women. The first option for pregnant women is to pay attention to sitting and sleeping postures, not to be sedentary or overworked, to adjust their diet and control their weight, to avoid excessive movement of the lower back, to prohibit bending over and lifting heavy objects, and to apply moderate heat and massage to prevent and treat low back pain. Of course, if the pain is particularly severe and unbearable, you should seek medical treatment and not apply Medical patch on your own.