The nurse, working on the maternity unit, receives a call from a pregnant woman asking how she can know whether a medication is safe to take while pregnant. What is the nurse's best response?

Question

A) "You can take any drug indicated as a Category A."
B) "No medications should be taken during pregnancy."
C) "Never take medication until you receive approval from your health care provider."
D) "Most medications are safe but you need to weigh benefit against risk."

Answer 1

C
Feedback:
The best response to a pregnant woman asking about medication usage is to talk with her obstetric practitioner because the best advice will come from someone who knows their health and pregnancy history. While Category A drugs have no known risk, they may be contraindicated by the woman's health condition or pregnancy issues and many pregnant women would not know what it means to be a Category A drug. Medications can be helpful during pregnancy if taken safely and appropriately. Although risk benefit needs to be weighed, it should occur with advice from the obstetric practitioner.