Medicines During Pregnancy: What's Safe, When to Keep Taking Them, and Prenatal Vitamins

Some medicines are safe during pregnancy, but many are not — some can harm a developing baby. If you're pregnant, check with your health care provider before taking any medicine, including:

• prescription drugs
• over-the-counter medicines
• herbs and supplements

Don't stop on your own

Talk to your provider before you stop or start any medicine. If you take medicine for a condition you had before pregnancy, not taking it may be more harmful to you and your baby than taking it. Many pregnant women take prescription medicines for conditions such as:

Whether to take a particular medicine depends on its risks and benefits — a decision you and your provider should make together.

Vitamins

Don't take regular vitamins while pregnant: they may have too much or too little of what you need. Your provider will talk with you about prenatal vitamins, made especially for pregnancy.

Folic acid, a B vitamin, matters for everyone — but it's especially important if you're trying to get pregnant. Getting enough before and during pregnancy can prevent birth defects of the brain or spine.

Sources

Based on "Pregnancy and Medicines," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, with a summary from the Food and Drug Administration; a work of the United States government in the public domain.