Medications during Pregnancy

“Mothers who become pregnant while taking an antidepressant are forced to make a difficult choice,” writes Nancy Schimelpfening, the About Guide to Depression. “Should they stop taking their medication in order to ensure the health of their baby, or should they continue to take their antidepressant to ensure that they don't become depressed? There are pros and cons to each.” Additionally, published studies have found that women taking anticonvulsant medications during pregnancy run a substantially higher risk of having a child with birth defects. Robin Weiss, the About Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth, notes, “There are, however, guidelines that we can use for using medications and helping us answer the question of 'Is this medication the best answer?' One of the most helpful tools is the FDA's Pregnancy Drug Categories.”