MotherToBaby is Here to Help.

As a healthcare professional who treats patients of reproductive potential, you’re well-aware of the challenges in making treatment decisions for patients who are pregnant, could become pregnant, or are nursing. Animal-only data and limited case reports may create dilemmas for you when counseling some patients about the medications they may need to take for their medical conditions. But there is good news: we can help.

We Provide Exposure Information.

MotherToBaby is a service of the non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists, the professional scientific society that is comprised of experts in the field of birth defects prevention. We have patient-friendly fact sheets in English and Spanish on many medications, maternal health conditions, infections, vaccines, and other common exposures. Our fact sheets contain up-to-date, evidence-based information about the effects of an exposure during pregnancy and lactation. For the questions that you or your patient have that aren’t addressed by our fact sheets, our experts are just a phone call – text – email – chat away, and our service is always offered at no cost to you or your patient.

We Partner with Physicians and Patients to Monitor Pregnancy Exposures.

We also conduct MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies, a series of observational pregnancy cohort studies that evaluate the safety (or risk) in pregnancy of medications used to treat a variety of medical conditions, as well as the safety (or risk) of vaccines in pregnancy. As the largest conductor of pregnancy registries in North America, we partner with physicians and patients across the U.S. and Canada to monitor pregnancy exposures and outcomes, with the goal of providing you and your pregnant patients with much-needed treatment safety information.

Discover our patient education materials and healthcare professional resources by selecting your specialty:

BRENTWOOD, TN – “Many potentially devastating birth defects can be prevented,” that’s the message leading researchers in the field want the public to know as the world prepares for the inaugural “World Birth Defects Day,” which will take place on Tuesday, March 3. The commemorative day is being spearheaded by international maternal and infant health advocates.

MotherToBaby, a service of the international non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), and the Teratology Society, both professional associations hailed as the premier sources for authoritative information related to birth defects research, reproductive science and toxicology, have partnered to help spread the message about alcohol and folic acid fortification – two major issues currently keeping birth defect rates high world-wide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 33 babies are born with a birth defect in the U.S. each year.

Some of the most devastating birth defects are associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy, according to MotherToBaby experts who provide free, evidence-based information through a toll-free hotline about medications, vaccines, drugs, alcohol and other exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. “It’s thought that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the most common recognizable cause of mental retardation,” said Kenneth Lyons Jones, MD, MotherToBaby past-president and one of two doctors who first identified FAS in 1973. Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are born small, have problems with learning and behavior, and may have other birth defects. “It’s totally preventable by avoiding alcohol during pregnancy, yet prenatal alcohol exposure still affects 1 in 100 Americans each year,” he added.

“Making sure women have access to folic acid regularly is another major issue around the world that could prevent birth defects,” said Mary Alice Smith, PhD, Teratology Society president and professor of developmental and reproductive toxicology at the University of Georgia. At least 400 mcg folic acid daily during pregnancy has been shown to prevent up to 70% of neural tube defects, according to Smith. Neural tube defects are malformations of the spinal cord that are serious and can be life-threatening. Two of the most common neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly, and occur in about 1 in every 1,000 live births.

“Because the neural tube closes in the first month after conception, a time when many women do not yet realize they are pregnant, it is important for women to be taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy, or if they think they might become pregnant,” said Smith. She added that while some grains, like bread and pasta, are required to be fortified with folic acid in the U.S., ensuring more foods are fortified, like corn masa flour, could prevent even more neural tube defects. “The bottom line – we could all do more to raise awareness about this vital issue. The health outcome of babies being born today, tomorrow, and for years to come depend on it.”

MotherToBaby is a suggested resource by many agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Women’s Health. The public can be connected with bilingual (English/Spanish) teratogen information specialists at MotherToBaby and receive personalized risk assessments, education and counseling by calling toll-free 1-866-626-6847. The MotherToBaby website also houses a library of fact sheets on medications and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding located at www.MotherToBaby.org.

The Teratology Society consists of 660 members specializing in cell and molecular biology, developmental biology and toxicology, reproduction and endocrinology, nutritional biochemistry, genetics, and epidemiology, as well as the clinical disciplines of prenatal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, neonatology, medical genetics, and teratogen risk counseling. In addition, it publishes the scientific journal, Birth Defects Research, Parts A, B, and C. Scientists interested in becoming a Teratology Society member are encouraged to visit www.Teratology.org.

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Media Contact: Nicole Chavez, 619-368-3259, nchavez@MotherToBaby.org. Interviews in Spanish can also be arranged.

Brentwood, TN – MotherToBaby and Big Belli LLC, the production company behind the latest pregnancy-focused documentary, “40 Weeks The Movie,” have partnered to provide the women who view the film as well as visit BigBelli.com with expert information regarding exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The film, created by Christopher Henze’s team of seasoned and award winning talent, including executive producer Kurt Engfehr (“Bowling for Columbine”, “Fahrenheit 9/11”, “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead”), casting director Lisa Singer (“The Bachelorette”, “Queer Eye”), and editor April Merl (“2012: A Time for change,” “The Yes Men Fix the World”), follows the week-to-week journeys of parents-to-be.

The film is being shown theatrically throughout the United States. At some screenings, including the April 15th screening in South Hadley, MA, MotherToBaby will be providing audience members with educational materials about medications and more during pregnancy and breastfeeding. In some instances, MotherToBaby experts will also be on hand to answer audience’s questions. To find a screening near you, click here.

The grassroots effort and popularity the film company has generated for the film so far has resulted in creating a web-based extension of filmed information to empower, educate and create a sense of community for expectant moms. Over the next few months, several MotherToBaby experts will be featured in www.Bigbelli.com’s informative articles to help provide insight into topics such as marijuana during pregnancy, as well as diseases like Crohn’s Disease and post-partum depression.

High blood pressure disorders during pregnancy, including preeclampsia, can raise a lot of questions and anxiety for expectant parents. In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, genetic counselor, mom of four, and teratogen information specialist, sits down with maternal-fetal medicine specialist and member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) Dr. Karen Florio to discuss what pregnant women should know about hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and the role low dose aspirin can play in reducing certain risks.

Dr. Florio shares both her professional expertise caring for high-risk pregnancies and her personal experience navigating a high-risk pregnancy herself. Together, Chris and Dr. Florio break down the warning signs of preeclampsia, when to contact a healthcare provider, and why low dose aspirin may be recommended in some pregnancies, even though regular aspirin is typically avoided during pregnancy.

The conversation also explores how common hypertensive disorders are, what patients can do to advocate for themselves, and reassuring, evidence-based guidance for anyone currently pregnant and feeling worried about blood pressure concerns.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What “high blood pressure in pregnancy” and hypertensive disorders actually mean
• Signs and symptoms of preeclampsia to watch for
• Why low dose aspirin may be recommended during pregnancy
• Who may benefit from low dose aspirin therapy
• When to reach out to a healthcare provider
• How patients can feel informed and empowered during pregnancy

About Our Guest:
Dr. Karen Florio is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at the University of Missouri and currently serves as Vice Chair of Patient Safety and Quality for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as Director of Labor and Delivery. Her work focuses on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and heart disease in pregnancy, and she has held leadership roles with Missouri’s Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Board and the Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative.

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