EXAMPLE OF DRUGS

Antiemetic
An antiemetic is a drug that is effective against vomiting and nausea. Antiemetics are
typically used to treat motion sickness and the side effects of opioid analgesics, general
anaesthetics, and chemotherapy directed against cancer.Antiemetics are also used for
morning sickness .
Antacid
An antacid is a substance which neutralizes stomach acidity.
Many pregnant women get heartburn, sometimes referred to as acid indigestion or acid
reflux. This condition is generally harmless, but it can be very uncomfortable.
Fortunately, most cases can be safely treated with over-the-counter remedies, along
with simple diet and lifestyle changes. For those who need them, some prescription
heartburn medications are also considered safe to take during pregnancy.
Antacids containing magnesium hydroxide or magnesium oxide are also a good choice
during pregnancy. These come in tablet or liquid form.
Antihistamine
A histamine antagonist (commonly called an antihistamine) is a pharmaceutical drug
that inhibits the action of histamine by either blocking its attachment to histamine
receptors, or inhibiting the enzymatic activity of histidine decarboxylase which catalyzes
the transformation of histidine into histamine (atypical antihistaminics). Histamine
antagonists are commonly used for the relief of allergies caused by intolerance of
proteins.
Antihistamines are a group of medications that are used to treat various conditions,
including allergies and nausea and vomiting. Some antihistamines require a
prescription, but most are available over-the-counter (OTC), and both prescription and
OTC antihistamines are often used by women during pregnancy. Until recently, little
information was available to women and their health care providers on the possible risks
and relative safety of these medications in pregnancy, particularly when it came to
specific birth defects.

Analgesic
An analgesic, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve
analgesia relief from pain.
Paracetamol is the analgesic of choice in pregnancy. Aspirin and other nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be avoided in late pregnancy. Aspirin will
affect maternal platelet function and is associated with increased risk of prepartum and
postpartum haemorrhage. Other NSAIDs could be expected to demonstrate these same
effects. NSAIDs may also cause premature closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus and
delay labour and birth. Women taking opioids chronically who become pregnant should
let their obstetrician and their neonatologist know about the opioid use. They should
probably be delivered in an appropriate tertiary hospital, where development in the
neonate of a withdrawal syndrome will be prevented if possible, looked for, and
managed as necessary.
Antimicrobial
An antimicrobial or antibiotic is an agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth
The physiologic changes that occur during pregnancy result in pharmacokinetic
changes that can alter the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents. The possible risk of
teratogenic and toxic effects of antimicrobials on the fetus is an additional cause of
concern. In general, pregnant women are excluded from clinical trials and there is little
pharmacokinetic information on the use and proper dosing of antimicrobials in this
population. Although most antimicrobials can cross the placental blood barrier, data on
the potential teratogenic effects, and fetal and neonatal toxicity caused by antimicrobials
are also limited and of varying reliability. This article reviews the available evidence with
the greatest clinical relevance regarding the pharmacology of different antibiotic,
antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic agents in pregnancy, with particular focus on data
related to fetal toxicity.
Diuretic
A diuretic is any substance that promotes the production of urine. This includes forced
diuresis. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of
water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way. Alternatively, an
antidiuretic such as vasopressin is an agent or drug which reduces the excretion of
water in urine.
Diuretic use during pregnancy is not recommended. The effects of the drug on the
unborn baby are unknown.

Hypnotic
Hypnotic or soporific drugs are a class of psychoactive drugs whose primary function is
to induce sleep and to be used in the treatment of insomnia (sleeplessness), or surgical
anesthesia .
The choice of a hypnotic to prescribe in early pregnancy is difficult. Diazepam has been
associated with an increased risk of cleft lip or palate in a number of studies, although a
causal relationship has not been firmly established.
First-trimester use of diazepam has also been implicated in other birth defects, including
inguinal hernia, cardiac defects, and pyloric stenosis.
Heavy use of diazepam throughout pregnancy has been associated with multiple
problems, including dysmorphic features, growth retardation, craniofacial defects, and
mental .
Because of these and other reports, diazepam has been rated as a US Food and Drug
Administration Pregnancy Category D. etardation.
Tranquilizer
A tranquilizer is a drug that induces tranquility in an individual .
Pregnant women should avoid use of tranquilizers, which penetrate the placental
barrier. Birth defects, fetal death, congenital heart disease, and skeletal l abnormalities
have all been attributed to use of the drug, which also infiltrates the mother's milk. The
most publicized case of tranquilizer ;
danger to fetal development was that of Thalidomide, a non- barbiturate sleeping pill,
originally thought harmless, which resulted in severe birth defects. Tranquilizers are
also ranked third among drugs causing damage to the stomach lining, trailing only
aspirin and alcohol.