Accutane: Used to treat severe nodular acne; Accutane medication can cause severe, life-threatening birth defects if taken during pregnancy.
Achromycin: An antibiotic used for bacterial skin infections. When used topically it is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. It is not known whether tetracycline topical passes into breast milk.
Alphaprodine hydrochloride & Meperidine Hydrochloride: Pain Medication; No reports stating the use of alphaprodine causes congenital defects. As with all narcotics used in labor, alphaprodine may produce respiratory depression in the newborn.
Alprazolam: (Xanax) is used to treat anxiety disorders, panic disorders and anxiety caused by depression; this medication can cause birth defects in an unborn baby.
Amphetamine and dextroamphetamine: Adderall is used for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; Abuse can cause serious heart problems, blood vessel problems, or sudden death. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. It could also cause premature birth, low birth weight, or withdrawal symptoms in a newborn if taken during pregnancy.
Apresoline: Hydralazine is a vasodilator. It is used to treat high blood pressure/hypertension. FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby.
Bendectin: Known as Debendox in the UK and Diclectin in Canada, Bendectin is a mixture of pyridoxine (Vitamin B-6), and doxylamine, is a drug used to treat nausea and vomiting associated with morning sickness. It was voluntarily removed from the market in 1983 by its manufacturer, Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, following numerous lawsuits alleging that it caused birth defects, although an FDA panel concluded that no association between Bendectin and birth defects had been demonstrated.[1] The most famous case involving the drug is Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (1993). These lawsuits were led by flamboyant plaintiff attorney Melvin Belli.[2] The drug continues to be used in Europe under the same name, and no subsequent epidemiological studies have found any teratogenic effect.
Biphetamine: originally used for weight reduction -- it is available for treatment of ADD.
Bishydroxycoumarin: An oral anticoagulant that interferes with the metabolism of vitamin k. It is also used in biochemical experiments as an inhibitor of reductases. Pharmacological use: anticoagulant, enzyme inhibitors, and uncoupling agents.
Bupivacaine hydrochloride: used in epideral anethesia.
Clomid: (Clomiphene citrate tablets USP) Clomid is an orally administered, nonsteroidal, ovulatory stimulant. It has shown teratogenic effects when tested on animals, therefore may adversely affect the human fetus.
Clomiphene citrate: See Clomid
Coumadin: A blood thinner that is used to prevent heart attack, stroke and blood clots in the veins and arteries. FDA pregnancy category X. Coumadin can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, or fatal bleeding in an unborn baby.
Delalutin: Given to women with a history of pre-term labor or threatened pre-term labor; possibly causes second trimester miscarriage.
Demerol: A narcotic pain reliever used to treat moderate to severe pain. If given in excess can cause depressed respiration, coma or death. FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby, and could cause addiction or withdrawal symptoms in a newborn.
Dexadrine: Used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Narcolepsy; Babies born to women taking Dexedrine may be premature or have low birth weight. They may also be depressed, agitated, or apathetic due to withdrawal symptoms. Since Dexedrine appears in breast milk, it should not be taken by a nursing mother.
Dextroamphetamine sulfate: Same uses as Dexadrine. FDA Pregnancy Category C - Either studies in animals have revealed adverse effects on the fetus (teratogenic or embryocidal or other) and there are no controlled studies in women or studies in women and animals are not available. Drugs should be given only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Diazapam: an anti-anxiety drug; also used to treat epilepsy; Diazepam can cause birth defects in an unborn baby.
Dicumarol: see Coumadin.
P-Diisobutylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol: a spermicide used in the contraceptive jelly – Ortho-Gynol;
Dilantin: Used to treat epilepsy by controlling seizures. FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby. Dilantin may also not be as effective in reducing seizures if taken during pregnancy.
Doxylamine succinate: an antihistamine previously used for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy; It should not be used during the last 3 months of pregnancy since antihistamines may increase the risk of serious side effects in a newborn baby.
Duphaston: synthetic progesterone; used for menstrual disorders, hormone replacement therapy as well as threatened and habitual abortion; may affect a developing fetus.
Dydrogesterone: See Duphaston.
Epinephrine: used to treat anaphylaxis. FDA Pregnancy Category C - Either studies in animals have revealed adverse effects on the fetus (teratogenic or embryocidal or other) and there are no controlled studies in women or studies in women and animals are not available. Drugs should be given only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Ethinyl estradiol with dimethisterone: used in an oral contraceptive by the name; Oracon. Reasons for litigation include: fatal pulmonary thromboembolism and birth defects.
Hydralazine hydrochloride: for the treatment of hypertension; congestive heart failure – one of the most common used drugs for pregnant women with hypertension; comes with a warning that there are not significant studies on it's effect on pregnant women and therefore should only be used "if the expected benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus".
Hydroxyprogesterone caproate: a progestogen used in a variety of menstrual disorders and for threatened or habitual abortion.
Isotretinoin: Prescribed for severe acne; can cause severe birth defects, including mental retardation and physical malformations, a woman must not become pregnant while taking it.
Kevadon: Not approved for sale in the U.S.; used as a sleeping pill and to treat morning sickness in Europe in the 50's. Just one dose can cause severe birth defects. Tragically, when thalidomide was used by pregnant women, it resulted in the birth of thousands of deformed babies. In 1961 scientists discovered that the medication stunted the growth of fetal arms and legs. In fact, taking only one dose of thalidomide early in pregnancy can severely affect the growth of fetal limbs (arms, legs, hands, feet). It also puts the fetus at risk of other injuries, including eye and ear defects and severe internal defects of the heart, genitals, kidneys, digestive tract (including lips and mouth), and nervous system. (from the FDA).
Lisinopril: Used to treat hypertension, congestive heart failure; Lisinopril could cause birth defects in the baby if you take the medication during pregnancy.
Marcaine: used to cause loss of feeling before and during surgery, dental procedures (including dental surgery), or labor and delivery; Local anesthetics have not been reported to cause birth defects in humans.
MMR Vaccine: (from the CDC) MMR and its component vaccines should not be administered to women known to be pregnant. Because a risk to the fetus from administration of these live virus vaccines cannot be excluded for theoretical reasons, women should be counseled to avoid becoming pregnant for 30 days after vaccination with measles or mumps containing vaccines and for 3 months after administration of MMR or other rubella - containing vaccines." "If a pregnant woman is vaccinated or if she becomes pregnant within 3 months after vaccination, she should be counseled about the theoretical basis of concern for the fetus, but MMR vaccination during pregnancy should not ordinarily be a reason to consider termination of pregnancy."
Medroxyprogesterone acetate: Used for the treatment of menstrual disorders and hormone imbalance; There may be an increased risk of minor birth defects in children whose mothers are exposed to progestins during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Meperidine hydrochloride: See Demerol.
Mysoline: Used to treat epilepsy; Although most mothers who take medicine for seizure control deliver normal babies, there are reports of increased birth defects when these medicines are used during pregnancy. Newborns whose mothers were taking primidone during pregnancy have been reported to have bleeding problems. It is not definitely known if any of these medicines are the cause of such problems.