You’re pregnant, at the job and trying to focus on the work at hand, but little thoughts keep creeping in. “Is it a girl or boy”? “Is this work environment dangerous to my baby”? “Should I even be at work”? “Am I eating properly”? “What medications can I take while pregnant?” “Should I take more supplements”? “More vitamins or minerals”? These are some of the questions that pregnant women entertain on a daily basis.

Approximately six million women become pregnant per year in the United States. While the health status of all Americans has improved over the past century, African Americans still have more health problems than whites in the same age groups. Because of limited access to health care, lack of health insurance, and a host of other reasons, African American babies are twice as likely to be born premature than Asians, Whites, or Hispanics. African American women are also less likely to receive first-trimester prenatal care.

When you’re pregnant, anything you eat, drink or smoke can affect you and your fetus. It's never a good idea to use prescription or nonprescription medications without your doctors approval. When a pregnant woman consumes a drug, it is sometimes absorbed by the fetus as well. Larger molecules, such as insulin, have less chance of crossing the placental barrier than a smaller molecule like penicillin. Nevertheless, many pregnant women consume drugs on a regular basis. Fortunately, most drugs can be safely taken during pregnancy while others can be harmful to a developing fetus. When this occurs, the changes are usually permanent and may have a major impact on the physical or mental development of the fetus.

Pregnant women are only human and are subject to the same health problems that the average drug consumer has. Just being pregnant often brings it’s own host of ailments. The first twelve weeks of pregnancy , known as the first trimester, is considered the high-risk period for birth defects. During this period, the embryonic cells in various systems, such as the nervous system and organs or the heart, go through rapid development. This is also the period which folic acid intake has been shown to be extremely important for the prevention of birth defects of the nervous system. Women of childbearing age who are at any risk of getting pregnant should be taking 400mcg of folic acid. Women with twins will need 1000mcg of folic acid. Women should not exceed 5000 IU/day of Vitamin A before and during pregnancy. Too much Vitamin A has been linked to birth defects. All pregnant women should take 30mg of elemental iron daily. It is essential to prevent anemia. Anemia in pregnant women has been linked to to low birth weight infants.

Pregnant women have special vitamin needs both to support the growing fetus and to support themselves. Vitamin supplements are not a substitute for a balanced diet of wholesome foods such as whole grain, fresh fruit, vegetable, and high quality protein, but are definitely beneficial. Pregnant women should take a prenatal vitamin daily . It is essential that the prenatal vitamins contain ferrous sulfate, folic acid, vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, pyridoxine, thiamine, protein, zinc, and riboflavin. A good prenatal vitamin should contain the recommended daily allowance of essential vitamins , minerals, and trace elements. These vitamins are often prescribed for use after the pregnancy.

At some point during the pregnancy, there will be times that women will have to take medications. Infections, hypertension, asthma, seizures, colds, pain, and diabetes do not disappear during a pregnancy and women must control the symptoms.

Women with epilepsy should supplement their diet with calcium and vitamin D since antiepileptic medications can reduce bone density. They should also be limited to one antiepileptic medication if possible and supplement their diet with 1mg of folic acid daily and 10 mg of vitamin K during the last month of pregnancy to prevent neonatal hemorrhage.

When morning sickness occurs, try to snack throughout the day. An empty stomach can trigger nausea. Vitamin B6 may help and has shown to be safe. If nausea persists called your doctor. Extreme nausea can be a symptom of a more severe problem.

Since the female body produces hormones that slow down the digestive system, constipation and indigestion are common complaints. Natural products such as water, orange juice, and high fiber foods are well-suited for constipation. Kaopectate has been reformulated and replaced with bismuth subsaliylate (Peptol-Bismol) and is no longer safe to use. .When all else fails, bulk– forming laxatives such as Metamucil and Fibercon can be used. They are not absorbed into the body and are quite safe. Docusate also seems to be safe and is in some prenatal vitamins. Stimulant laxatives can trigger uterine contractions. Stay away from mineral oil. It can affect the absorption of essential vitamins. Other ailments include indigestion and bloating. Although there are a host of over-the-counter medications used to treat heartburn, little is known about their safety during pregnancy. It is better to use products containing calcium carbonate, such as Tums or Rolaids, that have been on the market for a long time.

For asthma patients, the asthma inhalers are believed to be safe during pregnancy. It is very important to control asthma since poorly controlled asthma can lead to complications stemming from reduced oxygen levels. Women on thyroid hormone replacement therapy should contact their doctors as soon as they suspect that they’re pregnant. The thyroid hormone dose will probably increase during pregnancy. This is important because a deficiency increases the risk of fetal death or abnormal cognitive development.

In terms of respiratory ailments, it is probably best to first treat allergy and cold symptoms without the use of drugs. Saline nasal sprays, high fluid intake, and the use of a humidifier should alleviate some cold symptoms. If your condition is so severe that it is causing unbearable symptoms, or if symptoms have not improved in a week, see your doctor. Many doctors feel that chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine, is safe to use during the second and third trimester since it has been around for a long time Loratadine is a great alternate choice. The short-acting form of pseudoephedrine is the one decongestant, that is known to be used safely during the second and third trimester, but may decrease milk production. Water is the best natural expectorant and helps with hydration during pregnancy.

The use of aspirin during pregnancy is usually a bad idea and may complicate pregnancy by causing bleeding. Acetaminophen is the drug of choice for fever and pain during pregnancy and has not been associated with birth defects at normal doses. Ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs decrease the amount of amniotic fluid, can cause birth defects in the first trimester and trigger premature labor in the third trimester. Human insulin is usually recommended to treat short-term diabetes while pregnant.

The drugs of choice for hypertension are methydopa, hydralazine, beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers. Each has been shown to be relatively safe and effective during pregnancy. Diuretics and ACE inhibitors should be avoided during pregnancy. ACE inhibitors can harm the fetus if taken during the second or third trimester.

As far as dermatogical products are concerned, isotretinoin can cause severe birth defects. It is always prudent to take a pregnancy test before starting this medication.

Natural products are the safest products. However, natural does not mean herbal. Herbal products are drugs and with many, “the verdict is still out”. Since they are not regulated by the government , some may contain contaminants. It may be prudent to avoid all herbal drugs during pregnancy. Tobacco consumption increases the risk of spontaneous abortion and small birth-weight infants. Alcohol consumption can cause birth defects of the skeleton, face, vessels, and brain of the fetus. Even small amounts may be harmful.

Using medications during pregnancy and their effect on the fetus is not an exact science. No drug can be used without some risk to the fetus. Consult your physician, before taking any drug, herb, or natural remedy. Each pregnant women must be treated individually. Possible risks and benefits should be carefully weighed before the patient and physician make a decision to use a medication.