Our experts are available through our confidential, free information service via toll-free phone at 866.626.6847 or via text message at 855.999.3525. You can also email an expert or live chat with us. Our trained experts have a variety of backgrounds in the health care field and include doctors, genetic counselors, nurses, and researchers.

MotherToBaby has offices throughout the U.S. that cover all 50 states and U.S. territories. We also have a location in Quebec, Canada that locally supports French-speaking healthcare providers. To find information about your MotherToBaby Affiliate local experts, events, activities and resources, select your state.

MotherToBaby’s pregnancy and breastfeeding exposure information services are available only for residents of the United States and the U.S. territories. MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies provides study opportunities to residents of the United States, its territories, and Canada. For services that are available in other regions of the world, please visit: https://mothertobaby.org/international/.

The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline Provides 24/7 Support Before, During, and After Pregnancy

BRENTWOOD, TN – MotherToBaby, a no-cost service of the non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) that educates the public about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding, proudly announces a new partnership to further support maternal mental health with the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (NMMHH).

NMMHH provides perinatal mental health support through their toll-free phone line, 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). The hotline was established in 2022 on Mother’s Day, during May’s Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. Over the course of the first year of operation, the hotline reports that the top reasons people contacted its service included depression, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, issues related to pregnancy, and relationship conflict. “From our vantage point, the data resonates as the day-to-day experiences individuals have before, during and after pregnancy,” explained Tiffany J. Williams, project director for NMMHH. “We know that early intervention, trauma-informed support, and resources/referrals establish individuals for continued success in their maternal mental health journeys – this is why it is imperative to prioritize seeking support and professional help,” she added.  

MotherToBaby has become the leader in birth defects research, and has been available to the public for more than 30 years. During that time, MotherToBaby specialists have answered questions from the public about medications, vaccines, beauty products, herbal supplements, workplace exposures and much more during pregnancy and breastfeeding via its helpline 866-626-6847, text line 855-999-3525, email and live chat on MotherToBaby.org.

MotherToBaby and NMMHH have partnered by establishing a bidirectional referral and warm transfer process specifically to address the growing demand for perinatal mental health support. “It’s a win-win for those we serve,” said Lorrie Harris-Sagaribay, MPH, a bilingual teratogen information specialist and the OTIS/MotherToBaby President-Elect. “Regardless of whether a person reaches out first to MotherToBaby about specific medications for mental health, or to NMMHH about emotional support for mental health, they can be assured of greater access to personalized information from highly trained experts from both services, free of charge.”

Both NMMHH and MotherToBaby services are available in English and in Spanish. To learn more about NMMHH, please visit https://mchb.hrsa.gov/national-maternal-mental-health-hotline.  To learn more about MotherToBaby and browse its library of fact sheets, blogs and podcasts, please visit www.MotherToBaby.org.

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

TORONTO, CANADA –  Experts Will Examine Canadian Strategies For Ideas To Improve FASD Awareness Around The World.  

The world’s leading teratology experts at MotherToBaby USA and Motherisk Canada, members of the international non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), will converge with the European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS) in Toronto on September 19th – 21st to share breakthrough research and discuss how to prevent alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Since the sensitivity to alcohol varies from one pregnancy to the next, no safe level of alcohol during pregnancy has been established. The exposure to the fetus can result in a range of neurobehavioral disabilities, now known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Globally, September is commemorated as FASD Awareness Month.

“FASD is the leading cause of developmental disability in Canada and this area of research is critical,” said Gideon Koren, MD, FRCPC, director of the Motherisk program at The Hospital For Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto and program host of this year’s conference. “When prenatal alcohol exposure affects as many as one in 100 babies to some degree, FASD really should be considered more than a problem… it’s a health crisis,” he added.

It’s been more than 40 years since Kenneth Lyons Jones, MD, OTIS and MotherToBaby’s president, along with David Smith, MD, first identified Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) after examining several children with similar traits who had all been born to chronic alcoholic mothers, yet there is still misinformation circling the globe about prenatal alcohol exposure.

“Studies, primarily out of Europe, suggesting that low to moderate levels of alcohol during pregnancy are safe add to one of the biggest health challenges today,” said Jones. “Learning from each other is an obvious and important focus of the conference.”

Jones acknowledges that Canada is farther ahead of most of the world in its awareness of FASD and is, as a result, a fitting host for the international joint meeting with ENTIS, which only takes place every four years. “There are important things about intervention strategies, providing services to underserved populations and getting certain professional groups such as the Canadian Bar Association involved that can be learned from the Canadians.”

Despite this progress and the well-documented spectrum of negative physical and mental effects alcohol can have on the developing fetus, as many as 15% of Canadian women report drinking during pregnancy, according to The Society Of Obstetricians And Gynaecologists of Canada.

Motherisk Canada is home to the Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise (FACE) Research Network, which will celebrate its 15th anniversary on September 17th at SickKids and will feature Jones as the keynote speaker.

All North Americans can be connected with experts through the MotherToBaby and Motherisk programs. Women can receive personalized risk assessments regarding alcohol, medications and other exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding toll-free at MotherToBaby 1-866-626- 6847 and Motherisk 1-877-439-2744.

Help spread the word about preventing FASD by sharing the following PSA link.

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

Become a Leader in Birth Defects Prevention by Joining OTIS

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. OTIS members include but are not limited to the experts that provide MotherToBaby services and the researchers that conduct MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies.

OTIS welcomes as a new member anyone with a commitment to understanding the effects of environmental agents in maternal and fetal/infant health, the prevention of negative pregnancy outcomes, including birth defects, and the communication of evidence-based information about medications and other environmental exposures in pregnancy and lactation.

The many benefits of OTIS membership include:

• Contributing to and impacting the quality of available information on exposures during pregnancy and lactation through research and collaboration.
• Improving how exposure information is communicated to the general public and health providers through research, high-profile media opportunities, and direct-to-consumer messaging.
• Staying current on emerging research and topics about reproductive exposures at our annual international education meeting. The meeting is held jointly with the Society for Birth Defects Prevention and Research (formerly the Teratology Society) and the Developmental Neurotoxicology Society, or the European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS). OTIS membership provides meeting registration discounts.
• Networking with our international community of teratology experts through dynamic forums for training and leadership opportunities.
• Partner discounts for members: Postpartum Support International (PSI) reciprocal membership discount: 20% off

Membership Level

 Individual – $175 (USD)Subscription period: 1 year, on: January 1st

 Student – $50 (USD)Subscription period: 1 year, on: January 1st

New Institutional Membership Options

We also provide an institutional membership option for those who have 2+ members at their organization. The two tiers are as follows:

·       2–3 members: $160 per person

·       4+ members: $150 per person

If interested, please contact Whitney Cantlon Smith (wcsmith@parthenonmgmt.com).

PRESS RELEASE

Brentwood, TN — MotherToBaby, a service of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), today announced the launch of two brand new resource hubs—a dedicated webinar repository and a collection of downloadable infographics—to equip healthcare providers with evidence-based tools for patient education and clinical practice. The announcement coincides with National Birth Defects Awareness Month (NBDAM), observed every January.

Each year, approximately 1 in 33 babies in the United States is born with a birth defect. Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality. National Birth Defects Awareness Month, led by the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN), underscores the importance of prevention, education, and support for families.

The new MotherToBaby Webinar Repository houses on-demand presentations featuring nationally recognized experts discussing timely topics related to exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding, from medication safety to infectious disease risks. All webinars are free to view, evidence-based, and designed for providers who counsel patients on exposure risks and benefits.

In addition, the MotherToBaby Infographics Library offers visually engaging, easy-to-share graphics covering common questions about exposures—from vaccines and radiation to environmental concerns. These materials can be shared directly with patients, used in presentations, or integrated into community outreach.

“Healthcare providers are often the first line of support when families have questions about exposures during pregnancy or breastfeeding,” said Lorrie Harris-Sagaribay, MPH, President of OTIS/MotherToBaby. “We created these webinars and infographics to make their jobs easier—delivering evidence-based information in formats that are quick to access, simple to share, and easy for patients to understand. Our goal is to help prevent birth defects and improve outcomes by ensuring accurate, trusted information reaches the providers and families who need it most.”

By aligning this launch with National Birth Defects Awareness Month, MotherToBaby highlights the critical role of healthcare providers in advancing prevention and education. The organization encourages providers to explore the webinars and infographics, and to share them with patients and colleagues.

More about MotherToBaby

MotherToBaby, a service of the non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), is dedicated to providing no-cost evidence-based information to pregnant and breastfeeding people, healthcare professionals, and the general public about medications and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Talk directly to the experts behind the most up-to-date research by calling (866) 626-6847, texting (855) 999-3525, or via live chat and email on www.MotherToBaby.org. MotherToBaby is recommended by many 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 annual award totaling $1,200,000 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. MotherToBaby is also supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 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, CDC, 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