Stages of Pregnancy Slideshow Pictures Slideshow of Early Pregnancy Symptoms Early Pregnancy Symptoms Quiz

Medical Author:

Suzanne R Trupin, MD

Suzanne R Trupin, MD

Dr. Suzanne Trupin is a Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign. She graduated from Stanford University and completed her medical training at New York Medical in Valhalla, New York. She received her residency training at the University of Southern California Women's Hospital in Los Angeles, California. She is Board-Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medications

Because so many medicines are not safe to take during pregnancy, it is extremely important that a woman take only those that have been approved by her doctor. If anyone tries to prescribe a new medicine,the woman should explain that she is pregnant and ask if the drug is safe to take. The US Food and Drug Administration lists five categories of labeling for drug use in pregnancy. A doctor or pharmacist can provide advice on the safety level (indicated by category) of medications before a woman who is pregnant takes anything. Doctors will often use category B and C medications (see the following list) if a woman's medical needs warrant the use of those medications. Not all conditions have category A medications available for treatment.

• Category A - Safety established using human studies
  
  
• Category B - Presumed safety based upon animal studies
  
  
• Category C - Uncertain safety with animal studies showing an adverse effect
  
  
• Category D - Unsafe with evidence of risk that may, in certain clinical circumstances, be justifiable
  
  
• Category X - Highly unsafe with risk or use outweighing any possible benefit