Medication Safety and Pregnancy

When it comes to medication safety, pregnancy and breast-feeding require special consideration.

If you are considering pregnancy, are pregnant or are nursing, you should follow the basic guidelines for using medications safely, with a few additional precautions:

If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, it's imperative that you tell your health care professional, because even some of the most common and innocuous drugs can be dangerous to an unborn baby.
If there is a possibility that you could become pregnant, ask about any potential side effects to you or your fetus from medications that you might be prescribed.
If you are breast-feeding, ask your health care professional if any drug or medication he or she is prescribing or recommending is safe for the nursing baby.
Some drugs affect fertility, so be sure to tell your health care professional if you are trying to become pregnant.
Don't take any medication, supplement (like vitamins or minerals) or herbal remedy without first clearing it with your health care professional.

HealthyWomen Editors

Kim Ledgerwood

Editorial Director, HealthyWomen

As HealthyWomen’s editorial director, Kim oversees the production of all content and ensures that it is aligned with our mission, meets our high editorial standards and captures our brand voice.

Kim is an award-winning editor and copywriter with more than 25 years of experience. She started her career as a copywriter and broadcast producer at the Southeast’s largest full-service advertising agency, The Tombras Group. Since then, she has edited and written for a wide variety of clients, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to indie authors across multiple industries and topics.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, as well as a master’s degree in communications/advertising from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Kim lives in Maryland with her husband, three children and a menagerie of pets.

Jacquelyne Froeber

Senior Editor, HealthyWomen

Jacquelyne Froeber is an award-winning journalist and editor. She holds a BA in journalism from Michigan State University. She is the former editor-in-chief of Celebrated Living magazine and has editing and writing experience for print and online publications, including Health magazine, Coastal Living magazine and AARP.org.

As a breast cancer survivor, Jacquelyne encourages everyone to perform self-exams and get their yearly mammograms.

Read Full Bio