Having worked as a Teratogen Information Specialist at MotherToBaby for close to 10 years, I have become well versed in the different exposures people commonly ask about. Allergy medications in the spring, sunscreen and bug spray in the summer, and cough and cold medications all winter long. So, when I logged onto our live chat service at mothertobaby.org on a Tuesday morning, I was surprised to see a question that doesn’t come up very often. Natalie, pregnant with her first child, asked: “I’m …
The Baby Blog: Uncategorized
MotherToBaby Interactive Critical Periods of Pregnancy Tool
Understanding Critical Periods in Pregnancy Kendra, newly pregnant at approximately 7 weeks along, contacted MotherToBaby late one afternoon with a question that had been causing her a lot of anxiety. Norovirus was running rampant in her home, and she was feeling extremely nauseous. Having found relief with it before, she explained that she had taken a single dose of Zofran (ondansetron) early that morning. She was certain this drug was ok to take during pregnancy, but after searching online, …
Stay Informed: Understanding the Impact of the Red Dye No. 3 Ban on Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
You may have heard recently that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C) Red No. 3. In this blog, we will review details about the ban, including why it was enacted, and the timeline for removing FD&C Red No. 3 from products. Our goal is to equip you with information to help make informed decisions. Be sure to check back, as we’ll continue updating this post with the latest developments. All food dyes, called color additives, must …
Asking Questions That Count When Considering Adoption
By Kirstie Perrotta, MPH, MotherToBaby California Cara and her husband Mark were contacting MotherToBaby for the first time. “Our adoption counselor just called - we have been matched with a potential birth mom this morning and she’s due next Friday!” Cara blurted out excitedly. “The counselor said you would be able to tell us about the baby’s exposure to heroin and Klonopin. I don’t know how much she used, or when she stopped. We need to make a decision today.” As a Teratogen Information …
The Day the World Went Dark: A Personal Account of Miscarriage, Abortion and Ectopic Pregnancy
by Sarah Obican, MD, MotherToBaby President Though I wish I didn’t remember the day well, I do. I was a maternal fetal medicine fellow in NYC and I was sitting with my two beautiful co-fellows. When I say my co-fellows were beautiful, I mean that inside and out. We were an odd pairing of three musketeers. Young, bright, professional women, training to take care of women with high-risk pregnancies… and all three of us were pregnant. It was completely unplanned and highly unusual for all three …
