Medications and drugs during pregnancy
Part of doing what is best for your growing baby is making careful choices about what you put in and on your body.
What medications and drugs can affect my baby?
Many different substances can cross the placenta and enter the baby’s bloodstream. These include:
- Prescription drugs including opioids
- Over-the-counter medications
- Herbal products
- Topical creams
- Inhalers
- Nicotine
- Alcohol
- Cannabis
- Street drugs
Because your unborn baby is going through critical stages of development, these products can affect him or her differently than they affect you. Some substances can irreversibly harm your baby.
Is it safe to take medicine while I am pregnant?
Ideally, you should not take any medication during pregnancy unless you and your health care provider determine that it is necessary. A small number of medications have been shown to be safe for use in pregnancy. The effects of most medications on the fetus are unknown. If you were taking prescription medication for a diagnosed medical condition before you became pregnant, talk to your health care provider as soon as possible about the safety of continuing this medication. For most medical conditions in pregnancy it is much better for the mother and the baby to properly treat the condition. The right treatment for most conditions when a woman is pregnant is generally the same as the right treatment when she is not pregnant. Consult your health care provider before stopping any medication.
For information on specific medications, consult your health care provider or databases of research on medication use during pregnancy. Much of the information posted on the internet tends to be an unscientific posting of horror stories and is not a reliable source of information about the effects of drugs in pregnancy.
What about natural or herbal remedies?
Many people use natural or herbal products with the assumption that they are safer than other options. However, most of these products have not been clinically tested for safety or effectiveness. And very few have been tested for safety during pregnancy. Although a product may be considered natural, it still can contain ingredients that could harm your baby. Always talk to your health care provider first.