Talk with your health care provider (including your pharmacist) about any medicine, herbal products (including powders, pills and herbal teas) and supplements that you take. If you have any questions, talk with your health care provider or call Health Link at 811. They can give you information on possible side-effects, interactions or risks of the […]

Prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicine can be harmful if not used as directed. This can include: taking medicine prescribed to someone else taking medicine to feel ‘high’ or intoxicated taking a higher dose than prescribed having more than one prescription for the same medicine Using medicine this way can lead to serious health issues and […]

You can meet most of your vitamin and mineral needs by following Canada’s food guide. See the information on recommended vitamin and mineral supplements below.

There are many herbal products that claim to increase the chance of pregnancy. These products may not have been tested for safety and may not do what they claim to do.  Talk with your health care provider (including your pharmacist) about the use of herbal products before you start trying to become pregnant or conceive […]

Although people may think of herbal products as being ‘natural’, natural does not always mean safe. Many of our strongest poisons and medicines come from natural sources (e.g., cyanide, cocaine). For this reason, some herbal products are not safe during pregnancy. Herbal products come in a variety of forms, including powders, pills and herbal teas. […]

Several over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can affect your pregnancy, even some that don’t seem too serious- like antacids or painkillers. Your health care provider (including your pharmacist) can tell you whether a medicine is safe to take. They may also have suggestions for alternatives if the medicine isn’t safe to take. Once you’re pregnant, check with […]

Talk with your health care provider (including your pharmacist) before you stop or change your prescription medicine. Sometimes the benefits of taking a prescription medicine outweigh the risks to the developing baby. For example, it’s important to keep taking prescription medicine for high blood pressure, epilepsy, depression or some mental health conditions before and during […]

It’s important to talk with your health care provider (including your pharmacist) about the prescription medicine that you take. Some prescription medicine can cause birth defects. It’s important that your health care provider knows if it’s possible that you’re pregnant to decrease the risk. Some prescription medicines that cause birth defects are: isotretinoin (Accutane) blood […]

Some prescription medicine can affect your ability to become pregnant. If your health care provider knows you are hoping to conceive, they can plan to adjust or change medicine that may pose problems before you start trying. Always speak with your health care provider (including your pharmacist) before you start or stop taking any prescription […]