Special conditions People with certain medical conditions or who are taking certain other medicines can have problems if they take opioid analgesics. Before taking these drugs, be sure to let the physician know about any of these conditions. Allergies Let the physician know about any allergies to foods, dyes, preservatives, or other substances and about any previous reactions to opioid analgesics. Pregnancy Women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while taking opioid analgesics should let their physicians know. No evidence exists that these drugs cause birth defects in people, but some do cause birth defects and other problems when given to pregnant animals in experiments.
Babies can become dependent on opioid analgesics if their mothers use too much during pregnancy.
This can cause the baby to go through withdrawal symptoms after birth. If taken just before delivery, some opioid analgesics may cause serious breathing problems in the newborn. Breast feeding Some opioid analgesics can pass into breast milk. Women who are breast feeding should check with their physicians about the safety of taking these drugs. The effects of some opioid analgesics may be stronger and may interfere with recovery in people with head injuries.