The Bilingual Website is the Latest Addition to the Non-Profit’s Toolkit to Promote Healthy Pregnancies and Reduce Birth Defects

BRENTWOOD, TN – ¿Hablas español? ¡Sí! In time for January’s Birth Defects Awareness Month, MotherToBaby is proud to announce the launch of its fully bilingual (English/Spanish) website. It’s the first of its kind for housing an extensive bilingual library of fact sheets on everything from alcohol to zolpidem during pregnancy and breastfeeding as well as connecting bilingual experts with parents and healthcare providers.

Only select portion of MotherToBaby’s resources were previously available in Spanish. The now fully bilingual website is designed to fill the gap in the disparities of health education information for pregnant and breastfeeding individuals who are Spanish-speakers. MotherToBaby wants to improve birth outcomes in the Latinx community by giving improved access to language-appropriate resources to families and health professionals.

“It’s our experience that all parents and parents-to-be want the best information possible in order to have a healthy baby,” said Lorrie Harris-Sagaribay, MPH, a bilingual teratogen information specialist and the MotherToBaby President-Elect. “No matter what the language they speak is, we want everyone to have access to the best, expert health information possible. Making our free resources available in the second most-used language in the U.S. will help us reach many who are currently underserved.”

MotherToBaby, a no-cost service of the international non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), has been available to the public for more than 30 years. During that time, it has become the leader in birth defects research as well as answering questions the public has about exposures, like medications, vaccines, beauty products, herbal supplements, workplace exposures and much more, during pregnancy and breastfeeding. MotherToBaby is a suggested resource by many federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The fully bilingual website comes on the heels of other Spanish resources previously available including more than 300 fact sheets, a phone information service (866-626-6847), texting line (855-999-3525), and live chat and email (available on MotherToBaby.org). Just some of the website updates include one-stop resource hubs organized by exposure topic and health field, a FREE online materials ordering system for patient education and materials, and fully translated information about the research arm of the organization, MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies. Much of the information that the scientific community knows about medication and vaccine use during pregnancy comes from observational studies. With accessible information about study participation in Spanish, MotherToBaby is aiming to increase participant diversity and better reflect the community that may need to take these drugs to treat or prevent illness.

“The risk to the developing baby from certain exposures during a pregnancy can vary greatly depending on timing of the exposure and much more,” said Harris-Sagaribay. “To be able to provide information tailored to a pregnant person’s personal circumstance allows for better informed decision-making. I’m proud to be part of a service that empowers parents like that not only in English but also in Spanish.”

The Spanish-language website is just one of MotherToBaby’s latest effort in making health education information more accessible to people outside of native English speakers. MotherToBaby is exploring the expansion of its bilingual resources to make them available in more languages. For example, it recently made its COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines fact sheet available in Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

Visit the new Spanish-language website at MotherToBaby.org/es. The MotherToBaby website is not intended to be a substitute for professional judgment. Users should consult personal healthcare providers for pregnancy and breastfeeding advice related to their particular situation.

More about OTIS and MotherToBaby

The Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) is a professional scientific society made up of individuals engaged in assessing and evaluating risks to pregnancy and breastfeeding from environmental exposures. Members include, but are not limited to, specialists in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, genetics, dysmorphology, perinatal epidemiology, teratology, behavioral teratology, pharmacy, genetic counseling, nursing, midwifery, maternal and child health, public health, and includes experts that provide MotherToBaby services and researchers that conduct MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies.

MotherToBaby is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $6,000,000 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents of this release are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. To learn more about MotherToBaby and OTIS, please visit www.MotherToBaby.org.  

Media Contact: Nicole Chavez, 619-368-3259, nchavez@mothertobaby.org

MotherToBaby is the Leading National Resource on Exposures during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

BRENTWOOD, TN – The non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), which provides the MotherToBaby free service, receives new funding aimed at enhancing partnerships to address birth defects, infant disorders and related conditions, and the health of pregnant and postpartum people. The grant is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The funding is a five-year award beginning October 1, 2023. “This remarkable funding is a testament to our tireless dedication to staying ahead of the curve when it comes to diseases, infections, and empowering the public with the latest information,” said Alfred Romeo, RN, PhD, President of MotherToBaby. “We are thrilled to collaborate with numerous organizations to amplify the impact of our vital work,” he added.

Great strides will be made under this grant, including collecting and disseminating data, developing and distributing data-driven resources, forging valuable partnerships, and fostering community engagement to raise awareness of the invaluable services provided by MotherToBaby.

“This support is a game-changer, enabling us to further equip pregnant and breastfeeding individuals with crucial information, especially during health crises like the recent COVID-19 pandemic,” Romeo emphasized. “The partnerships we build will help us navigate the next emerging issue affecting people who are pregnant and breastfeeding.”

MotherToBaby provides information on exposures, like medications, vaccines, diseases, herbal supplements, occupational exposures and more before and during a pregnancy as well as while breastfeeding. The service is provided through its no-cost helpline 866-626-6847, texting service 855-999-3525 and website www.MotherToBaby.org, where the public can live chat, e-mail an expert or browse a library of fact sheets in English and Spanish. Additionally, MotherToBaby hosts LactRx, a free app providing current information on the use of medications, vaccines, diagnostic agents, and drugs of misuse during breastfeeding. LactRx is available for iPhone and Android.

More about OTIS and MotherToBaby

The Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) is a professional scientific society made up of individuals engaged in assessing and evaluating risks to pregnancy and breastfeeding from environmental exposures. Members include, but are not limited to, specialists in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, genetics, dysmorphology, perinatal epidemiology, teratology, behavioral teratology, pharmacy, genetic counseling, nursing, midwifery, maternal and child health, public health, and includes experts that provide MotherToBaby services and researchers that conduct MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies. To learn more about MotherToBaby and OTIS, please visit www.MotherToBaby.org. 

Media Contact: Nicole Chavez, 619-368-3259, nchavez@mothertobaby.org

LactRx is sponsored by MotherToBaby, the Leading Resource on Exposures during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

BRENTWOOD, TN – The non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), through its public-facing service known as MotherToBaby, launches LactRx, a free app providing current information on the use of medications, vaccines, diagnostic agents & drugs of misuse during breastfeeding. The LactRx app provides easy access to the LactMed database, a resource from the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

In 2019 the NLM announced that the LactMed app was being discontinued. The announcement prompted a discussion between Phil Anderson, PharmD, FASHP, UC San Diego clinical professor and author of LactMed and Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH, MotherToBaby Past President and Mommy’s Milk: Human Milk Biorepository Program Director, about MotherToBaby sponsoring a new app for LactMed. “This was a hugely popular resource with millions of hits,” said Chambers.  Because of this, she saw it as an opportunity for MotherToBaby to help build and host a new app with all of the LactMed information.

In October of 2021, the idea was brought to the leadership of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), the professional non-profit that provides the MotherToBaby no-cost service. Development commenced and LactRx was born.

“The NLM made the decision to continue supporting web access to LactMed, and to discontinue support for its app. However, in Dr. Anderson’s experience, the app was a very popular and a user-friendly mode of access to the data,” explained Chambers. “In collaboration with NLM, MotherToBaby was given permission to create the LactRx app and, thus, to expand ease of access to this critical information for providers and the public worldwide.”

To download LactRx, please click:

iPhone

Android

Information presented in the LactRx app is not intended to be a substitute for professional judgment. Users should consult personal healthcare providers for breastfeeding advice related to their particular situation.

MotherToBaby also works closely with the NLM to contribute bilingual (English/Spanish) evidence-based fact sheets regarding medications, vaccines, diseases, herbal supplements, occupational exposures and more during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

MotherToBaby traditionally provides information on exposures before and during a pregnancy as well as breastfeeding through its no-cost helpline 866-626-6847, texting service 855-999-3525 and website www.MotherToBaby.org, where the public can live chat or e-mail an expert.

More about OTIS and MotherToBaby

The Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) is a professional scientific society made up of individuals engaged in assessing and evaluating risks to pregnancy and breastfeeding from environmental exposures. Members include, but are not limited to, specialists in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, genetics, dysmorphology, perinatal epidemiology, teratology, behavioral teratology, pharmacy, genetic counseling, nursing, midwifery, maternal and child health, public health, and includes experts that provide MotherToBaby services and researchers that conduct MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies. MotherToBaby is a suggested resource by many federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). MotherToBaby is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $6,000,000 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents of this release are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. To learn more about MotherToBaby and OTIS, please visit www.MotherToBaby.org.  

Media Contact: Nicole Chavez, 619-368-3259, nchavez@mothertobaby.org

World-Renowned UC San Diego Epidemiologist Leads Groundbreaking Study

SAN DIEGO, CA – Recruitment is underway for a groundbreaking new study on the treatment of lupus during pregnancy.  The observational research, led by world-renowned UC San Diego epidemiologist Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH, is the first of its kind for the non-profit MotherToBaby, a CDC-recommended organization that provides evidence-based information on medications, diseases, vaccines, herbal supplements and more during pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

The study will recruit 400 pregnant people over a five-year period to evaluate use of the lupus drug Benlysta® (belimumab) in pregnancy. Benlysta® is used to treat the most common type of lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), as well as lupus nephritis. Currently, there is limited information on the drug’s use in pregnancy.

The study will be MotherToBaby’s first to focus on a treatment specifically for lupus, and participants will be enrolled into the MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies research program. Chambers, who is the lead investigator for MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies, Co-Director of the Center for Better Beginnings, and Chief of the Environmental Science and Health Division in the UC San Diego Department of Pediatrics, noted that, “lupus can raise the risk of pregnancy complications, so it’s important for both the mom and her developing baby that this condition be well-managed during pregnancy. So, when treatments for lupus like belimumab are available, we want to do our best to gather information about those pregnancies where this medication has been used.”

The study is enrolling pregnant and recently pregnant people with exposure to Benlysta® and will provide critical information on the use of this medication during pregnancy. Participants will not be asked to change any part of their health care routine, including medications, nor will they be asked to travel.

More about MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies

MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies are conducted by the non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) and coordinated at the Center for Better Beginnings at UC San Diego. OTIS is a professional scientific society made up of individuals engaged in assessing and evaluating risks to pregnancy and breastfeeding from environmental exposures. Members include, but are not limited to, specialists in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, genetics, dysmorphology, perinatal epidemiology, teratology, behavioral teratology, pharmacy, genetic counseling, nursing, midwifery, maternal and child health, public health, and include experts that provide MotherToBaby services and researchers that conduct MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies.

MotherToBaby is a suggested resource by many federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). MotherToBaby is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $6,000,000 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents of this release are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. To learn more about MotherToBaby and OTIS, please visit MotherToBaby.org.

Media Contact: Nicole Chavez, nchavez@mothertobaby.org, 619-368-3259

Non-Profit’s Expertise Recognized as Leading Resource on Exposures during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

September 21, 2022

BRENTWOOD, TN – The non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) through its public-facing service, MotherToBaby, are now contributors to the prestigious National Library of Medicine (NLM) where more than 250 of its bilingual (English/Spanish) evidence-based fact sheets can be found on medications, vaccines, diseases, herbal supplements, occupational exposures and more during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

MotherToBaby provides information on exposures before and during a pregnancy as well as breastfeeding traditionally through its no-cost helpline 866-626-6847, texting service 855-999-3525 and website www.MotherToBaby.org, where the public can live chat or e-mail an expert. “This is just one more way we can ensure pregnant people and healthcare providers can have access to reliable, up-to-date, research-based information so they can make better informed decisions during the child-bearing journey or in cases of adoption,” said Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH, MotherToBaby Past President and UC San Diego professor of pediatrics. “Being a part of the NLM is a testament to the reliability of our resources. We are honored to be contributors.”

For more than 200 years, “the National Library of Medicine has been a partner for biological discovery, clinical care decision-making and healthcare choices in everyday living,” according to its website. The NLM includes health information tools and biomedical literature, such as PubMed. The MotherToBaby Fact Sheets through the NLM can be accessed through public and hospital libraries as well as in schools and clinics. It’s also available at the following link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK582980/  

More about OTIS and MotherToBaby

The Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) is a professional scientific society made up of individuals engaged in assessing and evaluating risks to pregnancy and breastfeeding from environmental exposures. Members include, but are not limited to, specialists in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, genetics, dysmorphology, perinatal epidemiology, teratology, behavioral teratology, pharmacy, genetic counseling, nursing, midwifery, maternal and child health, public health, and includes experts that provide MotherToBaby services and researchers that conduct MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies. MotherToBaby is a suggested resource by many federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). MotherToBaby is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $6,000,000 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents of this release are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. To learn more about MotherToBaby and OTIS, please visit www.MotherToBaby.org.  

Media Contact: Nicole Chavez, nchavez@mothertobaby.org, 619-368-3259