Healthcare providers can help pregnant patients use their medications safely by following a few important steps:

1. Medication Review:

   • About half of all pregnant women take at least one medication.
   • It's important to carefully check all medications for safety and look at how they are rated by the FDA for use during pregnancy.

2. Risk Assessment:

   • Use helpful tools like the Teratogen Information System.
   • Studies show that about 2-3% of birth defects happen because of medicine taken during pregnancy.

3. Patient Education:

   • Talk to patients about the risks of their medications.
   • Research indicates that when patients are well-informed, they are 60% more likely to follow their medication plans.

4. Monitoring:

   • Regularly check how well the medications are working and if they are safe.
   • Adverse drug reactions happen in about 10% of pregnancies.

5. Collaboration:

   • Team up with obstetricians and other experts to provide a well-rounded approach to care.

By following these strategies, healthcare providers can help keep pregnant patients safe while using medications.