Some pregnant women may be unaware that smoking and consuming alcohol and caffeinated drinks during pregnancy could risk the health of their unborn baby. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy has been associated with miscarriage, babies who are small for their gestational age and intellectual impairment in children known as fetal alcohol syndrome. No completely safe level of alcohol consumption has been determined for pregnant women.
The National Health and Medical Research Council recommendations for women who are pregnant, or might soon become pregnant, are that:. Since illegal drug use is a secretive activity, our knowledge on the effects of these drugs during pregnancy is limited. Substances with some known effects include:. Methadone and buprenorphine are prescription drugs, sometimes called pharmacotherapies.
They are used to help treat heroin and opioid dependency. The risks to the fetus and pregnancy associated with heroin use are greatly reduced with both of these treatments. The benefits of pharmacotherapy are reduced if you continue to use heroin or other drugs. Whenever possible, use non-drug alternatives to manage minor health concerns during pregnancy. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Some abortion services in Victoria offer reduced fees to students, healthcare card holders and those experiencing financial difficulty.
In Victoria, you can have two types of abortion: surgical and medication. Both types are safe and reliable. You can have a medication abortion up to nine weeks of pregnancy. You can have a surgical abortion from around six weeks of pregnancy onwards. Mifepristone, also called RU or the 'abortion pill', is used to terminate end a pregnancy up to nine weeks.
Abortion is one of the most common and safest types of surgery in Australia. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.
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The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.
The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Healthy pregnancy. Home Healthy pregnancy. Pregnancy - medication, drugs and alcohol. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Effects of medication, drugs or substances during pregnancy Harmful drugs, substances and medications Birth defects and medicines taken during pregnancy Pregnancy risk classification for medicines Smoking and alcohol during pregnancy Illegal drugs and pregnancy Recommendations for use of medication, drugs and substances during pregnancy Using alternatives to medications during pregnancy Where to get help Things to remember.
You should always give your doctor, midwife and pharmacist a full list of all the medications you take, or have recently taken, including: prescription medicines over-the-counter medicines nutrition supplements such as vitamins complementary therapies such as herbal medicine. The potential for harm to the pregnancy and unborn baby depends on a range of factors including: the type of drug or medication taken how the drug or medication is taken the size of the dose how often it is taken whether the drug or medication is used alone or in combination with other drugs or medications the individual response of the baby to the drug or medication the gestational age of the baby other factors, such as maternal health and diet.
Harmful drugs, substances and medications Some drugs, substances or medications may be harmful during pregnancy, depending on the amount and frequency of use. These include: medicines — including some prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and complementary medicines, such as herbal remedies or nutrition supplements illicitly used prescription drugs — such as benzodiazepines or morphine tobacco alcohol caffeine — for example, tea, coffee and cola drinks illegal drugs — such as cannabis, heroin, cocaine or amphetamines substances used as drugs — such as inhalants glues or aerosols.
Birth defects and medicines taken during pregnancy The risk of a birth defect for any baby is about four per cent, regardless of the circumstances during pregnancy. Teratogenic drugs and medicines Numerous drugs or drug groups may cause birth defects in a developing fetus, including: ACE angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors used to treat high blood pressure or congestive heart failure angiotensin II antagonists, also used to treat high blood pressure or congestive heart failure Isotretinoin an acne drug alcohol cocaine high doses of vitamin A lithium male hormones some antibiotics some anticonvulsant medications some cancer-fighting medications some drugs that treat certain rheumatic conditions some thyroid medications Thalidomide the blood-thinning drug warfarin the hormone diethylstilbestrol DES.
A better option is to take the pill and any unused medications you no longer need to an authorized U. It's never a good idea to take any pill that you're not prescribed or that you don't buy directly over-the-counter OTC. It is even less advisable to take a drug when you don't know what it is.
It's always best to talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking any medication. Various medications, dietary supplements, and alternative remedies can cause serious health problems, even if they're approved for use or OTC. By taking an unknown pill, you are running the risk of drug interactions, complications of medical conditions you have, and counterfeit drugs that are not regulated.
The FDA is a great resource for advice about safely taking medications. Just remember: if you don't know it, don't swallow it. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Updated April 1, Geological Survey. Pharmaceuticals in water. Where and how to dispose of unused medicines. Updated March 11, Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.
These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. The DEA also has images of drugs available on their website. If an online pill identification tool does not produce any results, double-check the imprint.
You might need to use a magnifying glass on very small pills to distinguish the letters and numbers. If you're having trouble identifying the pills, you can always take them to your local pharmacist, who may be able to help you.
Finally, you can even try reaching out directly to the FDA's Division of Drug Information with a description of your pill and ask them to help you identify it. If you can't identify the pill by any of these means, it may not be FDA-approved and could be an illegal or counterfeit drug or alternative remedy. The below information can help you identify just some of the most commonly misused pills.
Since these pills can come from a variety of manufacturers and appear differently, these descriptions are only rough guides. One small, round, blue pill that you might find is Adderall. It has the marking "AD" on one side and the number "10" on the other. Some people might take Adderall without a prescription to help them concentrate and to do better at school or work. Others take it to get high. Adderall pills can either be swallowed or ground up and snorted for a quicker effect.
Pills can be round or triangular in shape. Dilaudid also comes in liquid form. There are many similar pills, but only one has those markings. Although it is just a cold and cough medication, teenagers and young adults in particular misuse the dextromethorphan also called DXM contained in these little red pills.
In addition to dextromethorphan, this cold medication also contains an antihistamine. Deaths from kids misusing DXM and Coricidin have been reported. Ritalin, also known as methylphenidate , is a stimulant drug that is about the size and shape of aspirin.
The small pills can be pale yellow 5 milligrams , pale green 10 milligrams , or both white and yellow 20 milligrams , and are stamped with the manufacturer's name, Ciba. Like Adderall, Ritalin is often misused to improve productivity and performance at work or school. Xanax is one of a group of addictive prescription medications known as benzodiazepines.
It comes in a variety of shapes and colors and is imprinted with the manufacturer's name and strength including:. People often think prescription drugs like Xanax are safer than illicit street drugs, but these medications can be very dangerous—especially when mixed with painkillers or alcohol.
These white, oblong pills imprinted with the manufacturer name on one side and strength on the other side are one of the most commonly misused prescription painkillers. Vicodin can suppress a person's breathing, which can be life-threatening.
Like Vicodin, OxyContin is another opioid that can produce similar effects as heroin. They can come in round tablets and a few different colors, depending on the strength: white 10 milligrams , gray 15 milligrams , pink 20 milligrams , brown 30 milligrams , yellow 40 milligrams , red 60 milligrams , and green 80 milligrams. In addition to finding unknown pills, there are also some signs to watch out for that may indicate someone you know may be abusing prescription or illegal drugs.
To help prevent prescription drug abuse , there are some things you should and shouldn't do according to NIDA:.
Also, remember to discuss any past substance misuse with your doctor before taking a new medication. If you're concerned a friend or loved one might be misusing pills, sharing what you found and conveying your concerns in a non-judgmental way could be a good place to start. You can also offer to help them schedule an appointment with a mental health professional. If the loved one in question is your teenager and you're worried approaching them won't go well, you can always ask someone else they trust and respect to step in.
You could also raise your concerns with your pediatrician or a child psychologist , and they can bring up the subject during the appointment. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. While there are pill identification resources online, remember to never take a pill without knowing what it is.
While the list here might help you get started, there are many more pills out there that you may need help identifying.
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