Prescription medicine can be life-saving and help people improve their health. Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine, herbal products, and vitamin and mineral supplements can also help people maintain and improve their health. However, some of these may not be safe during pregnancy. If you are planning a pregnancy, talk to your health care provider about everything you take to keep you healthy now and during pregnancy.
Prescription medicine can have an effect on your ability to conceive a baby.
Always speak to your health care provider before you start or stop taking any prescription medicine.
Learn more about pre-existing health conditions and how they may affect your ability to become pregnant or conceive a baby.
Some prescription medicine can make it harder to become pregnant. The following types of prescription medicine may affect your chance of becoming pregnant:
Treatments such as chemotherapy for cancer can have lasting effects on your reproductive organs.
Learn more about fertility here.
For males, there is some prescription medicine that can reduce your chances of conceiving a baby. The prescription medicine below may affect your ability to conceive a baby:
Once you start trying to become pregnant, it’s important to talk to your health care provider and 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:
For more information about medicine safety talk to your healthcare provider.
Always speak to your health care provider before you stop or change your prescription medicine.
Often a different medicine can be prescribed—one that’s safe to take while you’re trying to get pregnant.
Bring a list of the all the medicine you take when you visit your health care provider. This includes over-the-counter (OTC) medicine, supplements, and herbal products that you take.
Learn how to create a Medlist.
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 pregnancy. Your health care provider can speak with you about the medicine that’s right for you.
Many OTC medicines can seriously affect your baby’s health if you take them while pregnant. Even medicine like pain relievers and antacids shouldn’t be taken without first talking with your health care provider.
Once you’re pregnant, check with your health care provider or your pharmacist before taking any OTC medicine. Read the label to find out if the product is safe during pregnancy.
Some OTC products have alcohol in them. Alcohol has serious effects on a developing baby.
Some OTC medicine affect blood flow to the uterus, which means the developing baby may not get the oxygen and nutrients needed for normal development.
Learn more about the harmful use of prescription and OTC medicine.
Although people may think of herbal products as being “natural”, it doesn’t mean that they’re always safe.
Many herbal products have not been tested for safety, or for effectiveness.
Herbal products may interact with
Herbal products can also affect blood tests or other laboratory results.
Tell your health care provider about any herbal products that you are taking. You can also talk to your pharmacist or call Health Link at 811 if you have questions.
There are many herbal products that claim to increase the chance of a pregnancy.
However, these products may not have been tested for safety and how well they work. Talk to your health care provider about the use of herbal products before you start trying to become pregnant or conceive a baby.
You can meet almost all of your vitamin and mineral needs by following Canada’s food guide. See the information on recommended vitamin and mineral supplements below.
A person who could become pregnant should take a multivitamin that contains 0.4mg (400 mcg) of folic acid and 400 IU of Vitamin D, every day. Choose a multivitamin (one that has a variety of vitamins and minerals) rather than a supplement that has only a single vitamin or mineral.
Learn more about folic acid before pregnancy
If you are taking a multivitamin with vitamin A in it, do not take any additional vitamin A supplements. Too much vitamin A can cause birth defects. Review any supplements you are taking with your health care provider.
For information about multivitamins and pregnancy, visit Healthy Parents Healthy Children.
It’s recommended that all men take a supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D every day.
Read and follow the instructions on the label. Take the dose recommended on the label.
Check the expiry date. Don’t use the product if it’s past the expiration date.
Don’t buy the product if you won’t finish it before it expires.
Talk to your health care provider about any vitamin and mineral products that you are taking.
Prescription and OTC medicine can be harmful if not used as directed. This can include:
Using medicine this way can lead to serious health issues and may impact the developing baby.
Some medicine can lower testosterone levels which affects sperm. Conceiving a baby can be more difficult because of a low sperm count or because of the way that sperm move.
Tell your health care provider about any medicine, herbal products 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 products and medicine you take, such as:
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