You should avoid taking certain medications while you’re pregnant—and the list is very long. In the past, the FDA has labeled several of these prescriptions with category A, B, C, D, and X warning. Category X drugs can cause birth defects and developmental abnormalities in animals and humans. The risks that these drugs present far outweigh their benefits.
The FDA finalized its standard category warnings in 2014 with more detailed labels that will give women more details on the dangers of category X drugs on the labels of their medication bottles. The more informed you are about taking medications during pregnancy, the more you may be to protect your developing child from serious health issues.
What are Category X Drugs?
The FDA has labeled medications with the highest risk to pregnancy with a category X warning. The intentions of this label are to inform pregnant women of how certain perceptions may affect an unborn child. According to Drugs.com, medications that are classified under category X have been studied and demonstrate fetal abnormalities or a risk to a developing fetus. The risks involved by using the drug clearly outweigh the potential benefits.
Below is a list of popular medications that have received a category X rating from the FDA:
- Lipitor
- Zocar
- Coumadin
- Jantoven
- Rheumatrex Dose Pack
- Trexall
- Proscar
- Clomid
- And more
The category X drug list is much longer than what is listed above. More information on a drug’s side effects may now be found on the drugs label. Women who are pregnant or are planning on becoming pregnant should check the FDA’s website for more information and warnings about medication use during pregnancy. You should talk to your doctor before taking this medication.
Category X Drugs During Pregnancy—and Before
Clomid is among the most popular Category X drugs available today for women with fertility issues. A major concern is that women may keep using the medicine after they’ve successfully conceived. If the medication is in the bloodstream in the early stages of pregnancy, it may potentially cause harm during crucial stages of development. The interference of the drug during this time may cause serious issues for your child.
Children exposed to this medication during gestation may be born with health issues. The CDC recently examined the use of clomiphene citrate (Clomid) and birth defect outcomes. Their findings indicated that connection between the two may exist. During their research data was used from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) in order to find a link. The findings from this study indicate that the follow birth defects may be correlated with Clomid use:
- Anencephaly
- Septal heart defects
- Coarctation of the aorta
- Esophageal atresia
- Craniosynostosis
- Omphalocele
- Dandy-Walker malformation
- Muscular ventricular septal defect
- Cloacal exstrophy
If You Took Clomid During Pregnancy
Once these newest findings surfaced, women prescribed Clomid started fighting back. In fact, many Clomid victims now seek justice through product liability claims. If you took Clomid and your child was born with a birth defect, you may be eligible to receive compensation. To see if you may qualify for a cash settlement due to your injuries, fill out your free evaluation today. Once you’ve submitted your information, an experienced lawyer will call to discuss your case and compensation options.
Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.