Drugs in Pregnancy

Drugs In Pregnancy
By Hamza El Joeidi
1
Introduction
● Drug use in pregnancy should be monitored carefully, since the misuse of

drugs might affect both the mother and the fetus.
● Few drugs are safe to use in pregnancy while most of the drugs are
contraindicated.
● Not all drugs are related to medicinal usage, some are used for
recreational purposes.
2
Points to discus
● Drug classifications for safety in pregnancy.

● Examples on some unsafe drugs and the complications
they use.
● Examples on recreational drugs and how to help
patients avoid them.
3
Drug Classes in Regards to Safety in pregnancy
● The FDA has classified drugs into 5 classes (A,B,C,D & X.)
● These classes divide drugs into Safe, not so safe, and never use
spectrum.
● The classes were determined by assessing the risk to benefit ratio
of each drug.
4
5
UNSAFE DRUGS
6
Teratogenic Drugs
● Teratogenic drugs are those that cause birth defects in a developing

fetus.
● Some drugs may interfere with the normal development of the fetus by
disrupting important biological processes. Others may directly damage
specific organs or tissues.
● Thalidomide is a sedative and anti-nausea drug that was prescribed for
pregnant women in 1960s. Thalidomide was found to be the cause of
many limb deformities in babies.
7
Non-teratogenic Drugs
● These drugs don’t cause birth defects, but rather cause problems like
growth problems, metabolism, and organ function; affecting the health of
the baby.
● The effect of these drugs differ according to the dose of the drug and
duration of exposure to these substances.
● An example of these drugs would be NSAIDs like ibuprofen, which could
lead to premature closure of the ductus arteriosus in the fetal heart.
8
Examples of Unsafe Drugs
● Antidepressants like SSRIs increase the risk of preterm birth, LBW, and
respiratory distress syndrome.
● Antipsychotics like haloperidol can cause movement disorders and other
neurobehavioral problems.
● ACE Inhibitors could lead to renal abnormalities and lung hypoplasia.
● Methotrexate can cause developmental delays and NTDs.
9
Vitamins in Pregnancy
Vitamins and minerals are essential for a woman to stay healthy whether
pregnant or not; however, in pregnancy, some vitamins should be maintained
at certain levels. Example of those vitamins:
● Vitamin A: excessive amounts of VitA could lead to birth defects involving
the CNS and cardiovascular system.
● Vitamin E: high levels of VitE increase the risk of bleeding.
● Vitamin C: high doses of VitC increase risk of preterm labor.
● Vitamin D: high doses of VitD is linked to hypercalcemia in the fetus.
10
Recreational Drugs in
Pregnancy
Many recreational are unhealthy either way and could harm their user in
different ways, but they still have more effects in pregnancies too.
● Tobacco usage leeds to many complications during pregnancy like
miscarriags, premature birth, and LBW babies.
● Alcohol consumption leads to things like those mentioned in tobacco
usage and also might cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which could cause a
range of physical and cognitive abnormalities.
● Weed smoking have also been linked to some cognitive disorders in those
born to mothers who smoked weed during their pregnancy period.
11
Examples of Chronic Diseases and their
Medications in Pregnancy
● Hypertension: methyldopa, labetalol, and nifedipine are often the drugs
of choice for pregnant women.
● Diabetes: insulin is usually the drug of choice, but in some situations
metformin may be used.
● Seizures: lamotrigine is widely used for its known safety in pregnancy
compared to other antiepileptics. Carbamazepine is sometimes also used.
12
Conclusion
● Women who are pregnant should always talk to their healthcare provider
on what medications to use and what to avoid.
● Pregnant women need to also avoid to exposure of recreational drugs
during pregnancy.
● Women who are planning on being pregnant in the near future need to
talk to their healthcare providers to adjust the use of any drugs they are
on accordingly.
And lastly, stay safe.
13
THE END
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Drugs In Pregnancy

● Drug use in pregnancy should be monitored carefully, since the misuse of

● Drug classifications for safety in pregnancy.

● Teratogenic drugs are those that cause birth defects in a developing

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