Drug use during pregnancy and lactation

This article reviews the basic principles of pharmacology and teratogenicit y of drugs for the pregnant and lactating woman and summarizes the Food and Drug Administration, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Am erican Academy of Pediatrics classifications. These categories were devised for caregivers of both women and their babies. The authors propose a two/t hree letter category system to assist those who, like family physicians, mu st care for women while pregnant and while lactating. Common problems from everyday practice are reviewed, with an emphasis on the important drugs to use and avoid in a wide variety of everyday clinical settings to help the b usy primary care physician in making decisions about medications in pregnan cy and lactation.