International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Women who take decongestants during pregnancy are less at risk of having their child prematurely.

According to researchers from the Boston University School of Public Health in the US, women who took the over-the-counter remedy during their second or third trimester had a 58 per cent lower risk of pre-term delivery.

Rohini Hernandez and colleagues conducted the study, examining data from 3,271 births, which took place between 1998 and 2008.

"Medication use is a major concern for pregnant women and generally, when medications are found to have effects on the foetus, they're usually found to have adverse effects," the epidemiologist said.

"This was surprising in that a potentially beneficial effect was found."

"The more we can learn about what could potentially cause preterm birth would help our understanding in how to stop it," she added.

Recently, a study revealed moderate caffeine intake - less than 200mg a day - should not affect women too much, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, a member society of FIGO.

Posted by Alexandra George