Animals and medications to watch

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Animals

Avoid contact with sheep and lambs at lambing time. This is because some lambs are born carrying the germs that cause listeriosis, toxoplasmosis, and chlamydia. These may be passed on to you and your unborn baby. See below about cats and kittens.

Medication

The effects of some prescribed drugs have been well studied and it is known that certain drugs are safe in pregnancy. For example, paracetamol at normal dose is safe and useful for headaches, backache, and other aches and pains that may occur during pregnancy. However, some drugs are not safe, and may be harmful to a developing baby, particularly if you take them in the early weeks of pregnancy.

Therefore, always tell a doctor or dentist who prescribes you medication that you are pregnant, or intend to become pregnant. Also, don't take drugs that you can buy (including herbal remedies) unless they are known to be safe in pregnancy. The pharmacist will advise.

If you already take regular medication, (for example, for epilepsy), it is important to discuss this with a doctor before becoming pregnant. If you have an unplanned pregnancy, discuss any medication that you take with your doctor as soon as possible.

Read on for info about infections during pregnancy