Planning a Pregnancy

There are several actions you can take to reduce your risk of having a baby with a birth defect and reduce your risk of complications.

Important actions you can take:

• Take Folic Acid
• Get to a healthy weight
• If you smoke, stop!
• Quit drinking alcohol or cut down significantly
• Get up to date on vaccines
• Think about possible risks from pets
• Think about possible risks from food
• Have a medical exam and get checked for health problems, including diabetes and any infections
• Talk your medical provider about the medicines you take and any health problems you have
• Contact us!

Links: Click our links page for more information.

Updates in Research: Wondering about the use of SSRIs to treat Depression in Pregnancy? Click here to read an update on the research written by one of our scientific advisors.

Telephone: Don’t see your question? Do you want to talk to a counselor about your specific case? If you live in California, call 800-532-3749.

Email: Email your questions to a counselor by clicking here. Please include as much information as possible. Expect a reply within one business day.  Let us know if you prefer to receive the information you’ve requested by email or by telephone.

Q&A Forum: On our question & answer community forum you can see the answers to questions other people have asked, build a profile, and share information with others. Want to post a general question on our communty forum? A counselor will answer your question within 2 -3 days.

Factsheets: Have a general question about a specific agent or medication? Click our factsheets to find answers to frequently asked questions about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Sign up for our Newsletter: Updates in research! Sample phone calls to our information counseling line! Current news about CTIS and about our recent community activities! Click here to sign up or view past issues of our newsletter.

For residents outside of California but in the US or Canada:
Contact the Organization of Teratology Information Services

For residents outside the United States or Canada:
Contact the European Network of Teratology Information Services.