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

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