Medical aspects of pregnancy

Women's health physicians should play a key role in preconception counseling and management of medical problems during pregnancy. Precautions recommended to reduce the risk of exposure to potential teratogens, medications, and medical interventions are discussed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration categorization of medications given during pregnancy is reviewed, and medications commonly used in pregnancy are listed. The basics of preconception counseling and routine prenatal care are reviewed, and guidelines for optimum preconception control of common medical conditions are summarized. Serious medical problems in pregnancy include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, thromboembolic disorders, asthma, thyroid disease, seizure disorder, infections, systemic lupus erythematosus, hematologic disorders, cardiac disease, and gastrointestinal disorders. Therefore, both physician and patient need to emphasize a preventive medicine approach to ensure the best outcome for both mother and child.