UF Study Finds 1 in 16 Women Take Harmful Drugs During Pregnancy

In a review of more than 3 million pregnancies, University of Florida researchers found 1 in 16 women were exposed to harmful teratogenic drugs — medications that can cause pregnancy loss, birth defects, and other health problems for the unborn child.

The study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology highlights the need for women and their providers to carefully examine medications taken during pregnancy. Teratogenic drugs are used for a wide variety of conditions, including seizures, migraines, obesity, acne, hypertension, bipolar disease, and cancer.

“If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or sexually active you must understand the risks involved with taking teratogenic drugs,” said Almut Winterstein, Ph.D., R.Ph., an author of the study and distinguished professor and chair of the department of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy in the UF College of Pharmacy, part of UF Health.

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