What Medications Would Harm a Fetus?
Pregnancy is one of the most important times in a woman's life, so protecting your gestating baby is crucial. There are certain drugs that are harmful to a fetus. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ranks drugs into categories based on how harmful they are to your unborn child. If you are pregnant, it is important to stay away from these drugs until your baby is born.-
Category X
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Category X is the ranking for the drugs that are most harmful to pregnant women and that are proven to cause birth defects in your unborn child. According to Drugs.com, Accutane can cause serious, life-threatening birth defects. Used to treat acne, Accutane can effect the fetus' ears, skull, brain and heart. Even one dose is enough to cause permanent birth defects. Other drugs that fall into category X include those used for psoriasis such as Tegison and thalidomide, a sedative that has not been used in the United States since 1971, according to Women's Health Zone.
Category D
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The FDA ranks drugs in category D that have definite health risks to a fetus but not as harmful as those in category X. Lithium, prescribed to help people with manic depression, falls into this category. It is important to use a secure method of birth control while on lithium since it can harm your unborn baby. If you breast feed, you can't use lithium because it passes into the breast milk. Other drugs that fall into category D include most drugs used in chemotherapy to treat cancer.
Category C
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According to Women's Health Network, drugs in Category C are likely to harm the fetus and should not be used during pregnancy. It is also includes drugs that may be harmful, yet more research is pending. These drugs include the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, some antidepressants like Effexor and Sudafed. Your doctor may still prescribe these drugs if you're pregnant if they are needed in a life-threatening situation. It is important you discuss the risks of any drugs on your pregnancy.
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