Safe Use of Medicines during Pregnancy

Importance of safe use of medicines during pregnancy
Improper use of medicines may also lead to premature babies, underweight babies, and stillborn births, and in less desirable cases teratogenicity and birth defects. However, in patients with existing medical condition, premature withdrawal or negligence of due medical treatment may result in long-term complications on both the mother and the baby. Pregnant women should always seek medical advice prior to consume or discontinue any medications.
Medicines that can be used during pregnancy
The following list of medicines appeared to have no known harmful side effects during pregnancy when taken according to instructions. Note that no drug can be considered 100% safe to use during pregnancy. Always consult a doctor or pharmacist before taking any medications, especially in the first trimester.

Common Conditions	Over-the-Counter Medicines	Pharmacy-Only Medicines (obtained through pharmacist)	Other treatment options
Allergy	-	Chlorpheniramine	-
Constipation	Fybogel Lactulose Syrup Bisacodyl or Senna (Short-term use) Glycerin suppositories	-	-
Cough	Guaiphenesin Syrup	Diphenhydramine Dextromethorphan	-
Indigestion	Antacid preparation containing Aluminum or Calcium	Famotidine Ranitidine	-
Nausea	-	Promethazine theoclate	-
Runny nose	Oxymetazoline nasal decongestant spray	Chlorpheniramine	-
Sore throat		-	Gargle with saltwater

Alternative therapies for morning sickness symptoms

Symptoms	Alternative therapies
Nausea and vomiting	Pyridoxine Vitamin B6 tablets Ginger roots Acupuncture
Backache	Postural adjustment (Chiropractic)
Pain relief in labour	Epidural injection Relaxation and breathing technique Acupuncture

Medicines that should be avoided in pregnancy

Type of medications	Examples
Blood thinners	Warfarin Aspirin Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) e.g. Mefenamic acid, Ibuprofen, Naproxen
High blood pressure medications	Anticholinesterase inhibitors (ACEI) e.g. Enalapril, Captopril, Lisinopril Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs) e.g. Losartan, Valsartan, Telmisartan
Acne medications	Retinoid derivatives

Alternative therapies that should be avoided in pregnancy

Types of alternative therapies	Contents
Oral supplements	Arbor vitae, beetroot, black cohosh, blue cohosh, cascara, chaste tree berry, Chinese angelica (dong quai), cinchona, cotton root bark, feverfew, ginseng, golden seal, juniper, kava kava, licorice, meadow saffron, pennyroyal, poke root, rue, sage, St. John's wort, senna, slippery root, tansy, white peony, wormwood, yarrow, yellow dock
Aromatherapy oils	Calamus, mugwort, pennyroyal, sage, wintergreen, basil, hyssop, myrrh, marjoram, and thyme

Pregnant women are advised to seek doctors’ or pharmacists’ advice before starting on any supplements.