Taking ibuprofen during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy could reduce the fertility of unborn daughters.

A new study has shown that the number of eggs stored in unborn daughters' ovaries may reduce if the medicine is used during this time. Scientists from France, Denmark, and Scotland discovered that the painkiller could lead to a considerable loss of germ cells, which will eventually develop into eggs. RTE reports that it is estimated that one-third of expectant mothers use ibuprofen during the first three months of pregnancy. Publish in the journal, Human Reproduction, the study grew ovarian tissue from 185 legally terminated foetuses between seven and 12 weeks gestation. The team then tested the effects of the painkiller on their growth. The study showed that ibuprofen crosses the placental barrier at the same concentration that it stays in the mother's body. Foetuses that had been exposed to the painkiller had half the number of germ cells compared to those that had not received the medicine. Dr Séverine Mazaud-Guittot has said the research raised concerns about the long-term effects of Ibruprofen. She said:

"The wisest advice would be to follow currently accepted recommendations: paracetamol should be preferred to any anti-inflammatory drug up to 24 gestational weeks, and the latter should not be used thereafter. "However, practitioners, midwifes and obstetricians are best placed to give expert advice: every mother and every pregnancy is unique."