For women planning pregnancy, avoid taking medication without contraception if not using birth control. If ill, use contraception—especially during the second half of the menstrual cycle—and minimize medication use. If medication is necessary, proactively inform your doctor about your pregnancy plans and lack of contraception.
To prevent unintended pregnancy during medication, expectant mothers are advised to track their basal body temperature. Should contraception fail, doctors can offer guidance based on the timing of medication and conception. Whether medication necessitates pregnancy termination remains controversial. Generally, decisions should weigh benefits against risks, considering factors like parental age, fertility history, and future family plans.
However, it's important to note that women who did not take medication can still give birth to children with abnormalities, while children born to women who took medication are not necessarily all abnormal. Unfortunately, there is currently no reliable method to confirm the effects of these drugs on human embryos. All existing evidence comes from animal studies. In general, medication use during pregnancy should be avoided whenever possible, especially during early pregnancy. The principle should be to prioritize the mother's health.