Pregnancy and Medicine

I have come to realize that, for the most part, you still can use many medicines when you are pregnant or nursing.  In my opinion, it's best to avoid anything that isn't natural.  That's just my opinion!  In my experience, due to a wisdom tooth growing the wrong way, I used tylenol for almost a month as a pain killer, with the o.k. from my doctor.  Then, during the 7th month of my pregnancy, I was referred for oral surgery to have it removed so that I would have no more pain and thus, no need for tylenol. So the main idea to remember is talk to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about keeping you and your baby safe but here is some advice.

Know the facts
• If you’re not pregnant yet, you can
help your chances for having a
healthy baby by planning ahead.
You can make choices about
which medicines to use before you
get pregnant. Always talk to your
doctor, nurse, or pharmacist first!
It’s very important that you keep
getting treatment for any health
problems.
• Your heart and kidneys work
harder when you are pregnant.
This makes some medicines pass
through your body faster than
usual. Your doctor might need to
give you a higher dose of your
medicines or make you take them
more often.
• Some drugs can harm your baby
during different stages of your
pregnancy. At these times, your
doctor might tell you to stop
taking your regular medicine until
it is safe to go back on it. Your
doctor may put you on a different
medicine that is safer for your
baby.

Read the label and ask questions
• The law says that all drug labels
must list the risks for women
who are pregnant or trying to get
pregnant.
• Your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist
can help you choose the
medicines that are right for you.



Don’t take:
Aspirin
• Don’t take aspirin during the last
three months of your pregnancy,
unless your doctor tells you to.
Aspirin can cause problems for
your baby or cause problems
when you are in labor.
Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)
• Like aspirin, it may cause
problems during the last three
months of pregnancy and when
you are in labor.
Products like herbs, minerals,
amino acids
• No one is sure if these are safe for
pregnant women, so it’s best not
to use them. Even some “natural”
products may not be good for
women who are pregnant or
nursing.

 Vitamins
Women who are pregnant should
not take regular vitamins. They
can contain doses that are too
high.
• Ask about special vitamins for
pregnant women that can help
keep you and your baby healthy.

To report a problem Contact the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
Website: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/
Phone: 1-888-463-6332

These websites can tell you more about the risks of certain drugs before, during, and after pregnancy:
FDA Pregnancy Registries
http://www.fda.gov/womens/registries/default.htm
The Safe Motherhood Initiative
http://www.safemotherhood.org