HEALTHBEAT: More women use medicine in pregnancy, need better info on safety and how to choose

WASHINGTON – Nearly every woman takes a medication at some point during pregnancy. But turning to the Internet to find out what’s safe to use can bring false reassurance.

Researchers examined 25 pregnancy-related websites that list drugs purportedly safe during pregnancy, and found no two lists were identical. Some products called safe on one site were deemed risky on another.

Worse, specialists couldn’t find evidence to back up safety claims for 40 per cent of the drugs listed.

Cheryl Broussard of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention led the recent study, and says too many drugs lack good safety information. The government is exploring how to improve that. Meanwhile, Broussard advises women to talk with their doctors about their best choices during pregnancy, for both prescription and over-the-counter drugs.