Danish researchers have found a link between the use of azole-based antifungal medications during pregnancy and changes in the levels of adrenal hormones in children after birth. The findings were published in the journal Communications Medicine, according to infohub.kz.
The study analyzed data from 589 mother-child pairs in Denmark. The scientists compared adrenal hormone levels in children whose mothers used azole-based antifungals during pregnancy and also checked whether the differences persisted three months after birth.
"This matters because treatment is mostly carried out with over-the-counter topical products, such as creams and vaginal tablets, which have traditionally been considered safe to use during pregnancy," said Jillie Mola, one of the study's authors.
According to the researchers, the safety of widely used antifungal drugs during pregnancy requires further study.
Additional experiments were carried out to verify the results. The specialists studied human fetal adrenal tissue under laboratory conditions and also observed pregnant rats, analyzing the blood and adrenal tissue of their fetuses.
The results of these experiments confirmed the changes detected in the children and strengthened the hypothesis of a possible link to the use of azole drugs during pregnancy.
The authors of the study stress the need for further research to determine whether the hormonal changes identified have long-term consequences for children's health and reproductive development.
Earlier, Kursiv wrote that new rules for child benefit payments in Kazakhstan could force urban families to postpone having children.