What medications should I avoid if I'm pregnant or trying to get pregnant?

Here's a list of medications you should avoid while pregnant:

1. Accutane for acne.
2. Aspirin: In rare cases, baby aspirin may be recommended in the first trimester to moms who have repeated miscarriages. Once outside of the first trimester, aspirin and drugs with similar action like ibuprofen and naproxen are not recommended as pain relievers during pregnancy as they may cause a drop in prostaglandin levels, which causes a tube from the baby's heart to close off too early (a process that naturally happens after birth).

These medications might have some risks for pregnant women:

1. Nasal decongestants: Pseudophedrine (Sudafed), Tripolidine (Actifed)—avoid in first trimester.
2. Pain medications with narcotics—not recommended for repetitive dosing.
3. Diuretics/water pills.
4. Some anti-depressants have FDA warnings, but the risks appear to be mild. There are rare complications for newborns with general classes of SSRI, and the Paxil category of anti-depressants have been thought to cause birth defects, but it doesn't.