A lot of drugs have side effects or undesired actions beside its therapeutic effect. Teratogenic drugs are those which exploit the fetus and definitely should be avoided in pregnancy.
below down the most common teratogenic drugs and their effects:
| Drug | Effect |
Thalidomide | phocomelia and multiple defects |
Anticancer drugs | cleft palate, hydrocephalus, multiple defects and foetal death |
Androgens | virilization; limb, esophageal, cardiac defects |
Progestins | virilization of female foetus |
Stilboestrol | vaginal carcinoma in teenage female offspring |
Tetracyclines & Glycylcyclines | discolored and deformed teeth, retarded bone growth |
Warfarin | depressed nose; eye and hand defects, growth retardation |
Phenytoin | hypoplastic phalanges, cleft lip/palate, microcephaly |
Phenobarbitone | various malformations |
Carbamazepine | neural tube defects, other abnormalities |
Valproate | spina bifida and other neural tube defects |
Alcohol | low IQ baby, growth retardation, fetal alcohol syndrome |
ACE inhibitors | hypoplasia of organs, growth retardation, fetal loss |
fetal goiter, cardiac and other abnormalities | |
Indomethacin/aspirin | premature closure of ductus arteriosus |
Isotretinoin | craniofacial, heart and CNS defects |
Once you become pregnant, or even when you plan for pregnancy you have to consult a pharmacist or physician about every single medication and read the insert leaflet carefully to avoid any harm to you or your fetus.
FDA has a specific classification for drug labeling during pregnancy:
This is a good website to check any medication for your baby safety: http://www.safefetus.com/
Again and Again, you have to consult a health care professional with your case before using any medication whatever it is during your pregnancy.