Nausea is the general feeling of being unwell, coupled with the desire to vomit. It is a symptom, rather than an actual illness. Vomiting, on the other hand, is the actual expulsion of gastric contents through the mouth. It can be triggered by several factors, including hormonal changes.
During pregnancy, a common discomfort is morning sickness. It occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy. It is the body’s reaction to the changing hormonal balance and levels that occur as the body adjusts to the needs of the growing fetus. Morning sickness can occur throughout the day, but is often worse upon arising in the morning. Morning sickness can become problematic in some pregnant women. It may become too severe that they can no longer perform their duties and responsibilities. Morning sickness can even lead to nutritional deficits, which is not good for both pregnant woman and the fetus.
The first trimester of pregnancy is a crucial stage in fetal development. Drugs can easily affect the fetus and do much damage, which are often irreversible. Pregnant women are cautioned against taking drugs without prescription and adequate medical advice.
If the morning sickness becomes severe and interferes with the pregnant woman’s normal functioning and health, a drug can be given. Recently, an antidepressant drug has been found to effectively and safely address morning sickness. This drug is marketed under the brand name Zofran.
What is Zofran?
Zofran is an anti-emetic drug with the generic name ondasetron. This drug opposes the action of the hormone serotonin on the cells (serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist). It is generally prescribed for the relief of nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy. It is also given at least an hour before surgery to prevent vomiting either during or after surgery, which can lead to complications such as aspiration. Recently, it has been found to effectively relieve morning sickness in pregnant women.Side effects of Zofran
Generally, intake of Zofran can cause a few side effects. These include fever, headache, constipation and/or diarrhea. These are the more common side effect reported by patients who took Zofran. Other side effects include dizziness, drowsiness and fatigue. There may also be sensations of coldness, dryness in the mouth, and abdominal pain.Patients taking Zofran are advised to seek further medical advise when they experience more serious side effects like the following:
- Rapid and pounding heart beat
- Chest pain
- Blurring of the vision
- Skin rashes
- Breathing difficulties
- Fever
- Diarrhea
The following are indications of possible adverse reaction to the drug. Patients are advised to immediately stop taking the drug and seek immediate medical care if any of the following occurs:
- Seizures
- signs of anaphylactic reaction (swelling of the face, difficulty in breathing, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting)
- severe rash over a large body area that spreads quickly and are blistering or peeling, combined with fever
- blindness, which is usually temporary
Precaution with Zofran use
People who have allergies or had allergic reactions to granisetron and dolasetron are advised to tell their doctor about it before they are prescribed with Zofran. Chances are, they will also have allergic reactions to Zofran (ondasetron).This drug is metabolized by the liver, and may cause some damage to the liver cells. People with liver problems are cautioned against taking Zofran. It may worsen an already existing liver condition. The liver may not be able to effectively metabolize Zofran in people with existing liver problems. Poor liver functioning can also lead to toxicity.
Zofran for morning sickness
Zofran is an anti-emetic medication, used to combat nausea and vomiting. Morning sickness can worsen and prevent pregnant women from performing daily tasks. It can become so severe that it may even lead to several nutritional deficiencies, which can adversely affect the growing fetus, as well as the pregnant woman. Bed confinement may even become necessary due to the severity of the morning sickness. In these cases, Zofran is prescribed to alleviate morning sickness. Zofran for morning sickness is an off label usage. This drug has not been specifically formulated to address morning sickness. However, there had been reports of significant improvement of morning sickness after taking Zofran.
This antiemetic medication has been reported to improve morning sickness. It is given only when the morning sickness severely affects the pregnant woman and is posing a risk to the fetus. There is not enough study on the safety of Zofran for morning sickness. There is some information that shows Zofran does not cause any significant adverse effect on the growing fetus during its use in the first trimester. To date, no fetal adverse reactions were documented related to Zofran and its use during the first trimester for morning sickness. However, these are not enough to conclude on the safety of Zofran use during pregnancy.
Zofran is only given during pregnancy, most especially in the first trimester if the benefits significantly outweigh the possible risks. It is only given when the morning sickness is so severe that it already poses risks to the health of the fetus and the pregnant woman. It is administered under close medical supervision. Pregnant women prescribed with Zofran need to be closely monitored for any adverse reactions. The fetus is also monitored closely for any untoward reaction to the drug.
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