Health Professionals: Your Role in Women's Health

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Medication During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

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Resources

Publications

1. Aspirin - Women who are pregnant often ask their health professional about the safety of over-the-counter medicines, such as aspirin. Health professionals can use this publication as a resource for pregnant women regarding aspirin use.

2. Thalidomide - Thalidomide has been banned for use by pregnant women because of the serious birth defects it has caused. This publication gives government regulations and safeguards for health professionals to inform their pregnant patients and also provides the current research on this drug.

3.  Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) - This database is a great resource for health professionals looking to provide supplemental materials regarding medication use to women who are breastfeeding.

4. Medication Use During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding - The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities provides health professionals with scholarly articles, research, guidelines, and recommendations for medication use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

5. Fact Sheets on Medication Use During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding - During pregnancy, women frequently ask about medications and how they could potentially affect their growing babies. Breastfeeding mothers also want to know whether medicines can be passed to their baby through their breast milk. This site provides fact sheets on medication use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, which health professionals can give to their patients.

6. Professionals and Researchers: Illicit Drug use During Pregnancy (Copyright © March of Dimes) - This publication provides health professionals with information on several types of illicit drug use during pregnancy, including marijuana and ecstasy use.

7. Over the Counter Medications in Pregnancy (Copyright © AAFP) - Although pregnant women often use over-the-counter (OTC) medications during pregnancy, some are potentially harmful to the developing fetus or their effects are not known. This publication provides information to help health professionals and pregnant women make informed decisions about OTC medicine use during pregnancy.

Organizations

1. Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction

2. National Toxicology Program

3. March of Dimes

4. Motherisk

5. Organization of Teratology Information Specialists

= Federal government resource

Content last updated December 1, 2008.