During pregnancy, it is mandatory to carefully read the package leaflet of all medication you want to use. Certain medications are prohibited during pregnancy because they can cause serious harm to the fetus. For the most common pregnancy ailments, I list which medications are permitted. Because every person is different, it is still advisable to consult your doctor before taking medication.

Medication or not?

Before you start taking medication, check whether it is necessary for you to take medication. Perhaps it is a minor inconvenience and you prefer to wait for the recovery. Not taking medication is still better. If it is not an innocent inconvenience, it may be better to go to your doctor and have the right medication prescribed. He or she will weigh which medication is necessary to alleviate the discomfort versus the best interests of mother and child.The results of the package inserts are usually based on male volunteers participating in clinical trials. These studies are never conducted with pregnant female volunteers because the insurance costs are prohibitive. To avoid risks, it is usually stated that pregnant women should avoid the medication. 

When is medication harmful during pregnancy?

The medication taken is absorbed by the mother’s body and delivered to the fetus through the placenta. The dose of medication taken can therefore have a major effect on whether or not it is harmful to the fetus. This is still very small compared to the mother’s body.The medication will be most harmful when fetal organ development is occurring. Organ development starts approximately on day 17 after fertilization and ends after approximately 70 days or more precisely after 12 weeks. Before and after that, it is assumed that taking medication is less dangerous for the fetus. However, the general rule is that taking medication should be avoided at all times if possible. Natural medicines such as herbs and nutritional supplements should also be avoided , even though they appear to be healthier. The problem here is that these products have not been tested through scientific research and little or no reliable information can be found about them.

Authorized medication

In the table below, I provide an overview of medications that are and are not permitted during pregnancy.

(*: too little data available)

Folic acid

Folic acid is a soluble vitamin of the B complex. During pregnancy, the need for folic acid is very high and intake of this vitamin would greatly reduce the risk of a child with spina bifida. The problem is that most pregnant women only start folic acid supplementation when the important period has already passed. It is therefore important to start taking it if you wish to have children. This is 0.5 mg folic acid from 4 weeks before conception to 10 weeks after the last menstrual period.

Phenol and camphor

Do not use ointments containing phenol or camphor as these are dangerous during pregnancy. Also do not apply during breastfeeding unless the doctor decides otherwise. Eye drops are allowed. By briefly pressing the tear duct closed for three minutes, absorption into the body can be reduced.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

About 50 to 90% of all pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. It is also known as morning sickness, although the nausea can occur throughout the day and can even last a whole day. Morning sickness occurs between the fifth and eighteenth weeks of pregnancy. In a small percentage of pregnant women, the phenomenon of morning sickness may last longer.Some women have severe morning sickness, cannot keep food or drink down and weigh less than before they became pregnant. This severe form is called Hyperemesis Gravidarum . They are at serious risk of dehydration and remain under a doctor’s supervision throughout the pregnancy.To reduce the symptoms of nausea, it is recommended to eat several small meals. If this does not help, you can consult a doctor to have medication prescribed. Commonly used medication for this is Phenerg an® (promethazine), Compazine®, Tigan® or Reglan®. Phenergan® and Compazine® should never be taken together. Another very strong medication against vomiting and nausea is Zofran® and was originally designed for chemotherapy patients. However, it also appears to be safe for use during pregnancy.