Medicines that cause miscarriage (and pregnant women should not take)

The use of medications during pregnancy should always be done only under the guidance of an obstetrician, as most medications have the potential to cause problems during pregnancy and even result in an abortion.

Medications such as thalidomide, atorvastatin or isotretinoin are completely contraindicated during pregnancy because they can cause damage or malformations to the fetus, which can be born with serious disabilities or cause miscarriage.

However, when abortion is legally permitted, as in cases of sexual rape or when pregnancy puts the woman’s life at risk, for example, misoprostol is the medicine most used by doctors in hospitals. This medicine cannot be sold in pharmacies and is restricted to hospitals only.

Medicines that should not be used during pregnancy

Medicines that can cause miscarriage or fetal damage and malformations and therefore cannot be used during pregnancy are:

Make an appointment with your nearest obstetrician, using the tool below, for more guidance on medications that should not be used during pregnancy:

Other medications that are potentially abortifacients and that can only be used under medical indication when their benefits outweigh the risk of abortion are amitriptyline, phenobarbital, valproic acid, cortisone, methadone, doxorubicin, enalapril and others that have risk D or leaflet of such medicines. See the symptoms that may indicate a miscarriage.

Furthermore, whenever possible, the use of teas should be avoided during pregnancy, especially when used without medical advice, as there are no studies that confirm their safety during pregnancy. However, some teas such as licorice, borage or parsley are completely contraindicated as there is scientific evidence that they can cause miscarriage or fetal malformations. Check out a more complete list of teas that should not be used during pregnancy.

When abortion is allowed

Abortion permitted in Brazil must be performed by a doctor within a Hospital, and is legal only when one of the following conditions is present:

• Pregnancy due to sexual rape;
• Pregnancy that puts the mother’s life at risk, with abortion being the only way to save the pregnant woman’s life;
• When the fetus has a fetal malformation incompatible with life after birth, such as anencephaly.

Therefore, for a woman to be able to resort to abortion in any of these situations, she must authorize the abortion or, in the case of children under 18 years of age, the person responsible for the child must authorize the procedure. In the case of women who for some reason are unconscious or unable to authorize the procedure, the abortion can be performed by the doctor if the woman’s life is at risk.