Not known to be harmful - medicines and pregnancy

A common dilemma for women who are pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant, is whether or not a medication might harm their baby. Unfortunately, the British National Formulary, or information leaflet inside that comes with the medication are often not that helpful, often just giving a one line word of advice such as 'not known to be harmful, manufacturer advises avoid unless benefits outweigh risks' - this is because the advice is based on the medical licence for the medicine, and often drug companies don't try to get a licence for using their product in pregnancy, as it is not worth their while.

For prescribed drugs in pregnancy it is always wise to talk to your GP if you are hoping to become pregnant, or are already pregnant and on prescribed medicines. Thankfully there is really good advice out there that can help you and your GP to make the best decisions around medicines in pregnancy and this website on BUMPS (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) is a great place to start