Got pregnant while I was taking Malaria tablets

[redkennedy]

hello, found out about mumsnet at the weekend in the observer, and thankgod cos Im going a bit mental. I found out I was pregnant last Thursday and I think Im about 7 weeks gone. Im soo scared as I conceived on holiday whilst I was taking Malarone, a malaria tablet. Also drank a bottle of wine a day and been a bit naughty at a festival, plus had various 30th b'days etc. What Im trying to say is Im petrified. Cant get a Drs appointment until this Thursday and cant find much advice on the net. Anyone been in similar position? Thanks ladies

Hello Redkennedy, don't have any experience of exactly your situation, but I did do quite a bit of research on malaria tablets in pregancy for myself a few months ago. The advice is really unclear, as they can't test drugs on pregnant women, and I was given conflicting advice.
The hospital for tropical medicine said only larium (mefloquine) is OK in pregnancy - everything else is either harmful (doxycycline), ineffective (paludrine) or unknown (malarone). However my (Belgian) GP said (before I talked to the tropical disease people) that malarone was the best and only option. I then went back to her and said what the tropical people had said and she looked it up and said well, how weird. In the UK it's mefloquine and no malarone; in Belgium it's malarone and no mefloquine - malarone is always advised.
Anyway, this is a roundabout way of saying that it sounds to me as if you'll be fine. One friend had malaria three times in pregnancy, and was treated with dreadful stuff - baby (now toddler) is thriving. Don't worry. And congratulations!

Oh thankyou so much littlefrog, i could cry! its just so confusing, but thank and praise the lord that I went for Malarone and not the much cheaper Doxycycline which i was almost tempted to. So if its good enough for the Belgians its most def good enough for me xxx

Also re the booze
I had some generous encounters with aGuinness tap and one or two serious cocktail allnighters before I knew I was pregnant.
Son is nearly 13 and as far as I can tell he is perfect.
I think there is some theory behind the placenta not taking over the nurturing of the baby until 6-7 weeks, thats when transfers ar emore likely of alcohol, but that could be total and utter codswallop.
But I stuck to it..

Redkennedy I had exactly the same problem 18 years ago!! My doctor reasured me everything would be OK, in fact he was adament that it was preferable to having had malaria whilst pregnant. DS1 will be 18 in April and is fine (as fine as any teenager can be!!!)

congratulations redkennedy, hope everything is ok with the baby.

I drank and smoked (was on a late honeymoon)before I found out I was pg and was really worried. I imagine if you speak to most people they have all done something they normally wouldnt have if they had known.

Try not to worry so much and welcome to MN .

I had a huge vodka and OJ bender, so drunk I got sick, before I knew I was pregnant - my period was a day late and I thought nothing of it.

So far, so good.

Also got pregnant whilst on malaria tablets. Didn't know for a couple of months and did all kinds of naughtiness!

DS1 is fine (apart from a penchant for beer, wine... )

don't panic. I was on malaria tabs, had a typhoid injection ( not recommended by doctors etc) and got very drunk on several ocassions. ( even took coke )before I knew I was pregnant.
Baby is now 6 and definitely perfect

thank you all so much for your kind words, its just so confusing. I worry myself sick thinking about all the chemicals (have also been sedated twice in the last 7 weeks for small ops) and those bottles of Shiraz practically being poured down the poor beggars little neck when hes only the size of a peanut yada yada.. No more wine & bad stuff for me, which is kind of a relief, has come at the right time really, will be a welcome rest. Aaahhh. Thanks again. I like this place. xxxx