Are you pregnant or trying to conceive, and currently taking medicines for another reason? Concerned about the potential effects of taking any medication in pregnancy? Worried about over-the-counter remedies and whether they’re safe for your baby?
It turns out that there’s a fantastic resource which can help answer any questions when it comes to medicines and other substances during pregnancy. It’s called BUMPS: Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy, and is provided by the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS).
A trusted source of information
As pregnant individuals, it’s reasonable to have concerns about the safety of taking medications during pregnancy. We want to make sure we’re doing what’s best for us and our baby! But it can be confusing with all the conflicting information out there, and the information leaflets supplied with the medication don’t exactly help!? That’s where BUMPS comes in.
UKTIS is a non-profit organisation funded by the UK Health Security Agency. It was previously called the National Teratology Information Service (NTIS), and has provided information since 1983 on the effects of various medicines, recreational drugs, and chemicals during pregnancy.
The website provides evidence-based, up-to-date information on the safety of over 1,200 commonly used medicines with information on pregnancy AND breastfeeding. It’s an invaluable resource for anyone who needs to take medication, whether it’s for a pre-existing condition, or a new ailment that crops up when you’re expecting.
The website
The BUMPS website is easy to navigate and provides comprehensive information on each medication, including its safety profile during pregnancy or breastfeeding, potential risks, and benefits.
One of the best features is the search function, which allows you to easily look up specific medications to find out their safety status. You can search by the medication name or the condition it’s used to treat, making it quick and convenient to find the information you need.
Another fantastic aspect of BUMPS is its clear and concise information in plain language. Without overwhelming medical jargon it’s easy to understand and make informed decisions about medication use.
My BUMPS Record
The website now offers the ability to monitor your pregnancy with them using the My Bumps Record. This is what they have to say:
By creating and updating a bumps record of your pregnancy you are contributing to our understanding of how medicines affect the health of pregnant women and their babies, both in the womb or later on in life.
Our aim is to help women to make decisions regarding use of medicines in pregnancy that are best for both mother and baby.
To do this, information needs to be collected not only from women who took medicines for a pre-pregnancy health problem (whether they continue, change or stop that medicine) or for a specific pregnancy related problem, but also from women who did not use medicines in pregnancy.
Women around the world are faced with difficult decisions about taking medicines in pregnancy on a daily basis, sometimes for a serious illness. We know from these women and their healthcare providers how important information from even a few other women can be, especially for new or rarely used medicines.
Helpline for professionals
In addition to its wealth of information, UKTIS also offers a helpline for healthcare professionals who may have specific questions or concerns. They also conduct and get involved with research from time to time. You can even follow them on Twitter!
All in all, BUMPS seems to be a pretty user-friendly resource for information on the safety of medication in pregnancy. Even more importantly, they seem pretty hot on ensuring everything they provide is evidence-based. You can check it out at http://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/