Drugs during Pregnancy? What's Safe

by Dr. Gerard M. DiLeo, MD
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During pregnancy, medications taken by the pregnant woman can cross the placenta and enter the developing baby's bloodstream. A medicine's effect on the unborn baby depends on the medication and the trimester in which the medicine is taken.

What Is Safe?

So how do you know which drugs are safest to you and your baby-to-be? The Food and Drug Administration ranks the following as the least harmful classes of drugs during pregnancy:

  • Category A: These drugs have been tested and found to be safe during pregnancy. Category A includes drugs such as folic acid, vitamin B6, and some thyroid medicines in prescribed doses.

  • Category B: These drugs are frequently used during pregnancy and do not appear to cause major birth defects or other problems. Category B includes some antibiotics, acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspartame (artificial sweetener), famotidine (Pepcid), prednisone (cortisone), insulin (for diabetes), and ibuprofin (Advil, Motrin) before the third trimester. Pregnant women should not take ibuprofen during the last three months of pregnancy.

    Most pregnant women know that it's wise to avoid taking medications during pregnancy, yet sometimes prescription drug use is warranted even for those who are expecting. Always consult your doctor about taking any medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter.

    The following overview will give you more information on what medications physicians generally recommend for their pregnant patients.

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