H2 Blocker drugs, such as Famotidine, Cimetidine and Ranitidine
, approved in the U.S. for acid reflux (heartburn), pose no
significant risks for the fetus according to a large
collaborative cohort study by researchers at Ben-Gurion
University of the Negev. The study published in the Journal of
Clinical Pharmacology provides significant reassurance for the
safety of the fetus when H2 blocker drugs are given to women to
relieve acid reflux during pregnancy. H2 blockers are among the
most frequently recommended drugs for acid reflux symptoms of
heartburn, regurgitation and trouble swallowing, which are
common in pregnant women. The findings of a large cohort study
examining infants born to mothers who were exposed to H2
blockers, particularly Famotidine, during pregnancy. Usually
symptoms of acid reflux are more frequent and more severe in the
latter months of gestation. It has been estimated that between
30 percent to 80 percent of pregnant women are affected. The
safety of H2 blockers used during the first tr