Acne Medication While Pregnant: What Drugs Are Considered High-Risk

Elevated hormone levels during pregnancy results in skin changes and problems including acne. Normally, a lot of treatment options are available to control acne and other skin problems, but acne medication while pregnant is a risky issue and must be addressed with care and with the aid of a physician.

Acne medication while pregnant is usually discouraged by doctors due to the risks that these treatments can pose to the unborn child and to the mother herself. Although there are some acne medications that are considered low-risk, no drug has been found yet to be absolutely safe for pregnant women. Several studies have been done to evaluate the risk level of some of the most common drugs for treating acne including isotretinoin, tretinoin and Tetracycline. Here’s what experts have found.

Isotretinoin is an oral medication commonly prescribed to treat acne. According to several studies, babies born to women who have used isotretinoin during the first trimester of pregnancy showed a pattern of birth defects. Some of these defects are craniofacial defects, heart defects and central nervous system defects. Increased risk of miscarriage and infant deaths have also been associated with the use of this drug during pregnancy.

Tretinoin is a prescription cream applied to the skin. This acne medication passes into the mother’s blood stream at a rate of lower than ten percent; and less than that actually reaches the fetus inside the mother’s womb. Although this can be considered a low-risk medication, experts are still recommending a visit to the doctor before pregnant women use this medication to treat acne.

Meanwhile, the oral antibiotic called Tetracycline appears to cause some level of bone growth inhibition and teeth discoloration in fetuses. Although this drug has been approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics as safe to use during breastfeeding, it is still not recommended as an acne treatment during pregnancy without consulting with a physician or a dermatologist first.

Acne medication while pregnant is highly discouraged by most doctors. Although a lot of women suffer from skin breakouts during pregnancy, the safest way for both the unborn baby and the mother-to-be is to deal with these outbreaks only after the child has been born.