Guidelines and Recommendations for Treating and Managing Health Conditions during Pregnancy

Listed below are selected guidelines and recommendations for treating and managing various health conditions during pregnancy. This information is not comprehensive and does not include all treatments or methods.

Asthma

Asthma controller therapy during pregnancy
Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2005; 192(2): 369-380.
Gluck JC, Gluck PA.
[Read summary]

Managing asthma during pregnancy: recommendations for pharmacologic treatment–Update 2004
These NIH recommendations, updated during 2004, provide guidance on medication treatment for pregnant women with asthma.
[Read recommendationsCdc-pdf]

Depression

ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 92: Use of psychiatric medications during pregnancy and lactation
Obstet Gynecol. 2008; 111: 1001–1020.
ACOG Committee on Practice Bulletins—Obstetrics.
[ACOG members can access the bulletin here]

Epilepsy

Practice Parameter update: Management issues for women with epilepsy—Focus on pregnancy (an evidence based review): Teratogenesis and perinatal outcomes
Neurology. 2009; 73: 133-141. 
Harden CL, Meador KJ, Pennell PB, et al.
[Read recommendationsCdc-pdf]

Infections (e.g., Colds, Urinary Tract Infections, Human Immunodeficiency Virus [HIV])

Preconception care for HIV-infected women
New York (NY): New York State Department of Health; 2010 Jul. 15.
[Read guidelines]

U.S. Public Health Service Task Force recommendations for use–of antiretroviral drugs in pregnant HIV-1–infected women for maternal health and interventions to reduce perinatal HIV-1 transmission in the United States
[Read recommendations]

ACOG Committee Opinion No. 717: Sulfonamides, nitrofurantoin, and risk of birth defects
Obstet Gynecol. 2017;130:150-152.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Obstetric Practice.
[Read recommendations]

Updated recommendations for antimicrobial prophylaxis among asymptomatic pregnant women after exposure to Bacillus anthracis
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2001;50(43):960.
[Read recommendations]

ACOG Committee Opinion No. 741: Maternal Immunizations

Obstet Gynecol. 2018; 131: 214-217.

[Read summary]

Pregnant Women & Influenza (Flu)
[Read recommendations]

Vaccination Information for Women Who are Pregnant or Breastfeeding
[Read guidelines]

Nausea and Vomiting

ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 189: Nausea and Vomiting Of Pregnancy

Obstet Gynecol. 2018;131:15-30.

[Read recommendations]

Pain

ACOG Committee Opinion No. 711: Opioid Use and Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy
Obstet Gynecol. 2017;130:81-94.
[Read summary]

Thyroid Disorders

ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 148: Thyroid Disease in Pregnancy

Obstet Gynecol. 2015; 125(4):996-1005.

[Read recommendations]

Additional Resources

Many organizations are committed to understanding more about medicines and pregnancy and providing helpful resources for women and healthcare providers.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
FDA’s site contains information about taking medicines during pregnancy:

• FDA’s Office of Women’s Health developed a fact sheet about medicines and pregnancy, which is available in EnglishCdc-pdf and SpanishCdc-pdf.
• FDA maintains an alphabetical index of safety information for specific drugs.

LactMed
Hosted by the National Library of Medicine, LactMed is a database that contains information about specific medicines, ways they might affect breastfeeding mothers and their babies, and potential alternatives to consider, if needed.

March of Dimes
This webpage provides information related to the use of medicines and herbal products during pregnancy.

MotherToBaby
MotherToBaby provides information and fact sheets, in English and Spanish, on the risks and safety of taking specific medicines during pregnancy and breastfeeding. To speak with a MotherToBaby counselor about the safety of a medicine you have taken or you are thinking of taking, call 1-866-626-6847. This service is free and confidential.

Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
This website and toll-free call center provide free, reliable health information for women everywhere. The site contains a database of resources and includes topic areas, such as pregnancy and medicine.