When you're pregnant and need to take a medication, you don't just want to know if it works—you need to know if it's safe for your baby. That's where Teratology Information Services, specialized expert resources that evaluate how drugs and chemicals affect fetal development. These services are staffed by pharmacologists, obstetricians, and genetic counselors who track real-world data on drug exposure during pregnancy. They’re not just hotlines or websites—they’re lifelines for families making high-stakes decisions under pressure.
These services don’t guess. They rely on registries like the MotherToBaby network and the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), which collect data from thousands of pregnancies where medications were taken. If a woman takes a drug like valproic acid early in pregnancy, these services can tell her the exact risk of neural tube defects—not a vague "maybe," but a number based on actual outcomes. They also track newer drugs that haven’t made it into textbooks yet. For example, they’ve helped clarify risks for SSRIs in pregnancy, TNF inhibitors for autoimmune conditions, and even over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen in the third trimester.
Teratology Information Services don’t just answer questions—they prevent harm. A pharmacist might call them when a patient on hydroxychloroquine finds out she’s pregnant. A doctor might check before prescribing an antibiotic for a urinary tract infection. A worried mom might text in after accidentally taking a sleep aid she didn’t realize was risky. These services answer in real time, with evidence, not fear. And they’re free. Most are funded by public health programs and run by academic medical centers. You don’t need a referral. You don’t need insurance. You just need to ask.
They also work with other critical areas—like what happens when you’re on methotrexate and get pregnant, or whether lithium increases heart defect risk, or how to safely switch antidepressants before conception. These aren’t theoretical concerns. Every year, thousands of pregnant people face medication decisions with no clear answers in their doctor’s office. Teratology Information Services fill that gap with science, not speculation.
And it’s not just about drugs. These services track environmental exposures too—pesticides, heavy metals, even certain supplements. If you’re working in a lab, using essential oils daily, or taking high-dose vitamin A for acne, they can tell you what’s safe and what’s not. Their data even informs national guidelines on medication use during pregnancy, like those from the FDA and CDC.
What you’ll find in the posts below are real stories and science-backed details that connect directly to this work. From how HIV meds interact with fetal development to why certain autoimmune treatments are safe during pregnancy, these articles show how Teratology Information Services translate complex data into clear, life-changing advice. You’ll see how medication absorption changes after bariatric surgery in pregnancy, how MAOIs require special caution, and why even something as simple as garlic supplements can raise bleeding risks when combined with blood thinners in expectant mothers. These aren’t random topics—they’re all pieces of the same puzzle: protecting the unborn from preventable harm.
