Drug risks in pregnancy revisited.

In the important interface of assuring safe care for the pregnant mother and her developing child that falls to the family physician, current knowledge of drug risks in pregnancy is essential. A recent survey showed that an average of 4.5 drugs are taken throughout the pregnancy. Eighty percent are self-prescribed, and a positive correlation was shown between the incidence of congenital anomalies and drug intake. Numerous recent reports of previously unrecognized fetal complications of commonly prescribed and self-used drugs and heightened public awareness makes it imperative that family physicians know the risk principles of major drug groups and be able to recognize drug-induced symptoms and signs in the older infant as well as in the infant.