Are Side Effects of Chantix Better Than Risk of Smoking While Pregnant?

Though the effects of Chantix have not been proved, it is not advised for the prescription to be used in pregnant women as there are indications that Chantix can be excreted in the mother’s milk and may lead to adverse side effects on the fetus. According to an independent report from the non-profit Institute for Same Medication Practices, within two years of its approval, Chantix was associated with more adverse event reports than any other medication, including drugs like fentanyl, oxycodone and other drugs used for serious illnesses. Towards the end of last year, less than two years after it was first introduced by Pfizer, concerns began to emerge about the side effects of Chantix, when a number of adverse events were reported about users committing suicide, having suicidal thoughts and unusual aggressive behavior on Chantix.

Pregnancy is a specific period in a woman's life and in this phase, addiction to cigarette smoking or intake of any other tobacco containing substances is found to induce a whole lot of destructions to the smoking addicted pregnant woman as well as to her unborn fetus. This further makes it apparent that for habitual smokers, quitting smoking during pregnancy is a necessity. As Chantix, the Pfizer manufactured anti-smoking drug has been found to yield rewarding smoking cessation results, it has been a matter of contemplation around the world whether or not Chantix can be used as a worthwhile quit smoking treatment by women during pregnancy.

A study by the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has shown that, as an alternative, counseling has no effect on smoking over those who received no counseling. Pertaining to Chantix and smoking, there is a huge possibility that Chantix would perhaps lead to reduced weight in the bone mass of the fetus and as such doctors recommend that the anti-smoking drug should be avoided by a quit smoking enthusiast during her pregnancy. As one considers all the ins and outs of Chantix usage during pregnancy and throws a glimpse into the stark facts associated with Chantix and pregnancy, it becomes finally clear that Chantix should be taken by pregnant women only when the benefits derived from the drug overcomes the potential risks to the fetus.