Which Medications Are Safe During Pregnancy – When and What Can Be Taken

During the entire pregnancy, the expectant mother and the fetus form an inseparable, unified, and well-coordinated system. Therefore, it is crucial to adhere to the condition of protecting the health of the unborn child when treating the expectant mother. Data from the World Health Organization indicate that more than 90% of women take prescription or over-the-counter medications during pregnancy. 

The prescription of medications for a pregnant woman must take into account the impact on the maturation and activity of sex cells, fertilization, implantation of the fertilized egg, and stages of embryogenesis and fetogenesis. Negative consequences of taking medications during pregnancy can include the slowing of intrauterine development of the embryo, leading to intellectual and physical developmental delays in the child.

Can pregnant women take medications

Carrying a child is one of the most important periods in a woman’s life, when she must take extra care of herself to ensure the baby is born healthy. However, pregnancy lasts 9 calendar months, and it is challenging not to encounter any health problems during this time. Therefore, to say that taking medications during pregnancy is categorically prohibited would be untrue. 

There are a number of rules that should be followed when taking medications:

• During pregnancy, at any stage, medication should be taken only as prescribed by the attending physician according to their indications;
• When choosing medicines, preference should be given only to those with proven effectiveness;
• It is undesirable to use combined treatment, prioritizing monotherapy – the use of only one medication;
• Local application of the medication is more preferable than systemic use.

How to Treat During Pregnancy

Medications for pregnant women are divided into:

• Dangerous – Category D. Their use poses certain risks to the fetus, but may be prescribed for vital indications (diclofenac, anticonvulsants, doxycycline, kanamycin). Absolute taboo – Category X, substances that are contraindicated during pregnancy.
• Relatively unsafe – Category C. Drugs have shown embryotoxic or teratogenic effects in trials. These include antiparkinsonian agents, isoniazid, antidepressants, and others. They are prescribed only when the effectiveness outweighs the potential risk.
• Relatively safe medications – Category B, their studies did not reveal teratogenic effects (amoxicillin, heparin, insulin, aspirin, metronidazole). Prohibited in the first trimester.
• Safe – Category A. Trials did not show a risk for (paracetamol, folic acid, magnesium sulfate, levothyroxine sodium).

Cold, sore throat

Colds are common ailments during pregnancy, especially in winter and between seasons. Therefore, it’s important to know which medications to take when pregnant if a woman experiences cold symptoms such as a sore throat or runny nose. Cold remedies are easy to understand: medications that are safe for pregnant women are those used in treating children from birth to 3 years old. Minimal dosages are not dangerous for the developing baby. Moisturizing drops based on seawater, such as Aqualor, Aquamaris, and similar, will help alleviate a runny nose.

If a sore throat develops during pregnancy, it’s necessary to determine its cause to rule out tonsillitis and pharyngitis. For a common cold, gargling with Miramistin, a warm chamomile solution, or a 0.1% chlorhexidine solution is effective. The list of sore throat medicines includes Laripront and Lizobact. They can be dissolved in the mouth 3–4 times a day, 2 pieces each time.

Poisoning, intestinal problems, stool issues

An unpleasant and rather dangerous problem is food poisoning during pregnancy. Treatment should be prescribed by a doctor. However, a good option for an enterosorbent during this period is Polisorb. Its effectiveness and safety are confirmed by numerous studies. It gently removes poisons and toxins without entering the bloodstream, without affecting organs. The dosage depends on the woman’s weight.

Constipation is also troublesome during pregnancy. Safe remedies are allowed for stool stabilization, such as:

• glycerin suppositories – these act quickly and are quite effective, but they shouldn’t be used too often. Caution is needed in the first trimester and if there is a risk of miscarriage;
• probiotics – for example, Probiolog or Linex capsules;
• gentle medications generally allowed as laxatives during pregnancy include syrups like Duphalac or Normase, Mukofalk, Forlax.

Allergies, blood pressure

Pregnant women often face discomfort from allergies. Only a doctor can prescribe treatment, conducting special research on the type of allergen. Based on the results, the appropriate medication will be chosen. One of the most common and safe anti-allergenic drugs is Suprastin, which can be taken for acute manifestations.

An additional cause for a woman’s discomfort during pregnancy can be high blood pressure. This is a dangerous condition for the expectant mother and the developing fetus, which requires mandatory consultation with a doctor for treatment prescription. Self-medication is not allowed. Typically, medications considered permissible, such as Dopegyt, Papazol, Egilok, and other drugs in this category, are prescribed.

Insomnia, Headache

If a pregnant woman is suffering from insomnia, it should not be ignored. Healthy sleep is the key to the well-being of the expectant mother, and therefore her baby. Although experts unanimously advise against taking medication to combat it, in severe cases, when the expectant mother is exhausted and feels unwell, Motherwort, Valerian, Glycine, Magne B-6, Nervoheel, Valerianheel may be prescribed. These remedies are not sleeping pills in the literal sense; their action is aimed at stabilizing the nervous system and improving falling asleep. Only a doctor can prescribe them.

Headaches can be just as dangerous, and there can be many reasons for their occurrence.

Identifying them will allow the doctor to determine the list of medications the pregnant woman should take to alleviate the condition. For migraines, depending on the trimester, paracetamol or ibuprofen may be prescribed.

Hormonal medications

It is commonly believed that hormonal drugs are neither prescribed nor taken during pregnancy. However, a lack of progesterone – the main hormone during pregnancy – in the first trimester is a leading cause of miscarriages. To compensate for this deficiency, a doctor may prescribe artificial progesterone analogs, such as Utrogestan or Duphaston, to a pregnant woman. 

The first one is natural progesterone derived from plant materials, the second is an artificially synthesized analog of the natural hormone. Duphaston reduces the risk of premature birth and halves the risk of fetoplacental insufficiency. Additionally, brain damage due to hypoxia in newborns is recorded much less frequently. Utrogestan restores hormonal balance and positively affects a child’s development. Which medication the woman will take is decided by the attending physician.

Medications for Thrush

Vulvovaginal candidiasis, or thrush, is one of the most common infections of the female genital organs provoked by pregnancy. Burning, itching in the genital area, and curd-like discharge require consultation with a doctor. The choice of medication prescribed by the doctor depends on the pregnancy term and individual sensitivity to the components. 

However, pregnancy limits the use of traditional therapies, so doctors typically prescribe safe suppositories for this period:

• “Candide” – has a broad antifungal effect.
• “Livarol” – with antifungal activity;
• “Polygynax” – a combined drug containing polymyxin B, neomycin, and nystatin;
• “Hexicon” – a universal remedy with the active component chlorhexidine, an antiseptic that kills most pathogenic microorganisms;
• “Diflucan” – contains fluconazole, effective against various types of fungi.

What medications can harm a child

The effectiveness of the pharmacological effects of most medications on a pregnant woman and her future child is not well studied. Therefore, pregnancy and lactation are listed in the contraindications in the instructions for many drugs.

Their active ingredients may have teratogenic and toxic effects, capable of causing serious fetal malformations, as well as its death. 

The list of drugs prohibited for pregnant women includes some vitamin preparations, hormonal medications. Expectant mothers also need to be careful with such medications:

• antidepressants;
• antihypertensive drugs (chlorothiazide, reserpine);
• certain groups of antibiotics (tetracycline, streptomycin);
• analgesics (indomethacin, aspirin);
• vitamin A, daily intake of which exceeds a dose of 10,000 IU.

Summary table of approved medications

Medical studies have determined which medications can be taken during pregnancy, as they are considered safe: