title: Over-the-counter medications: Risk and safety in pregnancy.
abstract: Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are among the most commonly used products in pregnancy. Similar to prescription medications, for many products there is a lack of adequate data on safety of use in pregnancy. Assumptions of safety for these products based on long experience and OTC status, in the absence of data, may be ill founded. Examples of four OTC products used to treat common conditions in pregnancy are described. Potential links to adverse short- and long-term infant outcomes for these products are reviewed, and the strengths and limitations of data to support these. Research to detect or rule out these risks is essential.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dysmorphology and Teratology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. Mail Code 0828, La Jolla, CA 92093. Electronic address: chchambers@ucsd.edu.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chambers
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000328:Adult; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D014663:Nasal Decongestants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000932:Antiemetics; D014663:Nasal Decongestants; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D014815:Vitamins; D000082:Acetaminophen
keywords: drug safety; over-the-counter medications; pregnancy