How to Evaluate Online Pregnancy Medication Advice for Accuracy

Every year, millions of pregnant women turn to the internet for answers about what medications are safe to take. But here’s the hard truth: online pregnancy medication advice is often wrong - and sometimes dangerously so.

A 2019 study analyzed over 1,400 online posts about pregnancy drug use and found that only 57% matched the official safety guidelines from Teratology Information Services (TIS). That means nearly half the advice people are trusting is misleading. Even worse, when it comes to prescription drugs - like antidepressants, seizure meds, or asthma inhalers - up to 60% of online claims were inaccurate. Many women stop taking life-saving medications because they read a post saying it’s risky. Others take supplements they think are "natural" and safe, not realizing those aren’t tested for pregnancy use at all.

So how do you tell what’s real and what’s rumor? It’s not about trusting your gut. It’s about using a simple, proven system to check every claim before you act.

Start with the Source - Not the Story

Not all websites are created equal. A post on Reddit or a TikTok video from a mom with 200k followers might feel convincing, but it’s not medical evidence. The first thing you need to ask: Where did this information come from?

Look for .gov or .edu domains. Sites like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or university medical centers are reliable. The Health on the Net Foundation (HONcode) certification is another quick signal - it means the site follows ethical standards for health information. Avoid sites that sell supplements, promote "miracle cures," or have ads for pregnancy products buried in "educational" content. A 2024 study found 42% of sites that claim to educate pregnant women are secretly funded by pharmaceutical or supplement companies.

Even hospital websites can be outdated. Always check the last update date. If it says "last reviewed 2019," treat it like old news. Teratogenic risk understanding changes fast. A drug labeled "safe" in 2020 might be flagged as risky in 2024 based on new data from large cohort studies.

Check Who Wrote It - Not Just What It Says

Anyone can write a blog. But not everyone should give medical advice. Look for credentials. Is the author a board-certified obstetrician? A clinical pharmacist specializing in maternal health? A researcher with published studies in peer-reviewed journals?

You can verify credentials easily. In the U.S., go to the American Board of Medical Specialties website and search their name. If they’re listed, that’s a good sign. If the article says "Dr. Jane Smith" but doesn’t link to a profile or mention her specialty, be skeptical. Many fake experts use titles like "Holistic Wellness Coach" or "Natural Pregnancy Expert" - these aren’t medical qualifications.

Also watch for language. Accurate sources say things like: "Current evidence suggests..." or "Limited data is available." They admit uncertainty. Inaccurate sources say: "This drug causes birth defects," or "Never take this while pregnant." Absolute language is a red flag. As Dr. Kenneth Jones from OTIS says, "If they’re not acknowledging gaps in knowledge, they’re not being honest."

Follow the Evidence - Not the Anecdotes

One woman’s story about taking ibuprofen and having a healthy baby doesn’t prove it’s safe for everyone. Science relies on data - not testimonials.

Good sources cite real studies. Look for mentions of: author names, journal titles, publication year, sample size, and DOI numbers. For example, accurate advice about paracetamol (acetaminophen) will reference the 2021 JAMA Internal Medicine study of 95,000 pregnancies that found no link to neurodevelopmental issues. Inaccurate advice might say, "Studies show it’s dangerous," without naming any study at all.

Watch out for animal studies being used to scare you. A mouse study showing birth defects from a drug doesn’t mean the same will happen in humans. Human pregnancy data is what matters. The FDA’s Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Rule (PLLR), introduced in 2015, replaced vague categories (A, B, C, D, X) with clear summaries based on human research. If a site still uses the old A-X system, it’s outdated.

Use the TRIAD Method - Your Simple Verification System

Here’s the easiest way to check any claim: TRIAD.

T - Teratology databases
Use MotherToBaby (operated by the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists). It’s free, updated quarterly, and staffed by experts who answer questions in real time. You can call them 24/7 at 1-866-626-6847. Their accuracy rate is 92% - far higher than any social media group.

R - Review primary literature
Check if the advice references peer-reviewed journals. Go to LactMed (from the National Library of Medicine) for breastfeeding safety, or PubMed for original research. Don’t trust summaries unless you can trace them back to the source.

AD - Assess Date
If the information is older than two years, treat it as potentially outdated. New studies come out constantly. For example, in 2023, new data showed that certain antibiotics previously thought to be risky in early pregnancy are actually safe. If the article doesn’t mention when it was last updated, assume it’s not current.

Doing this takes 15-20 minutes per medication. That’s less time than scrolling through Instagram. But it’s the difference between making a safe choice and risking your health - or your baby’s.

What to Trust - And What to Avoid

Here’s a quick guide to reliable and unreliable sources:

• Trust: MotherToBaby.org, LactMed.nih.gov, ACOG.org (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), CDC.gov, NIH.gov
• Be cautious: WebMD, Healthline, BabyCenter - they’re popular, but often rely on secondary summaries without linking to primary data
• Avoid: Facebook groups, Reddit threads, TikTok videos, Instagram influencers, supplement company blogs

Even trusted sites can mislead. A 2023 review found that only 38.7% of commercial health sites give complete risk-benefit analyses. Many focus only on risks - making women afraid to take necessary meds - or only on benefits, downplaying real dangers.

For example: Lamotrigine, a seizure medication, is often wrongly labeled as "dangerous." But TIS classifies it as "on strict indication or second-line," meaning it’s used when benefits outweigh risks. Stopping it without medical advice can cause seizures - which are far more dangerous to pregnancy than the drug itself.

Common Mistakes That Put You at Risk

Here are three traps most women fall into - and how to avoid them:

1. Confusing correlation with causation: A woman takes a cold medicine and later has a baby with a minor birth defect. She assumes the medicine caused it. But if she had a fever or infection during early pregnancy - which is also linked to birth defects - the real cause might be the illness, not the drug. Good sources control for these variables.
2. Believing "natural" means safe: A 2024 study found 63% of pregnant women think herbal supplements are FDA-approved. They’re not. Only 0.3% of herbal products are tested for pregnancy safety. Ginger for nausea? Fine. Black cohosh for labor induction? Dangerous. Always check LactMed before trying any herb.
3. Trusting social media consensus: On Reddit’s r/BabyBumps, a 2024 thread showed 87 women stopped antidepressants after reading inaccurate posts. Twenty-nine needed emergency care. Online communities are supportive, but they’re not medical advisors.

What’s Changing - And What’s Coming

The good news? Things are improving. In January 2025, the NIH launched PRISM, a $4.7 million project to build browser extensions that automatically check pregnancy medication claims against OTIS and LactMed databases. By late 2025, the University of Washington is rolling out a free API that gives real-time credibility scores for any medication query.

The FDA also launched a pilot AI tool in September 2024 that scans online content and flags inaccurate claims with 83% accuracy. It’s not perfect - it flags 12% of correct info as wrong - but it’s a step forward.

Meanwhile, ACOG and the American Academy of Family Physicians now recommend that doctors spend five minutes during prenatal visits teaching patients how to spot bad advice. In one trial, this simple step cut medication non-adherence by 22.4%.

But the biggest barrier isn’t technology - it’s trust. People want quick answers. They want reassurance. And the internet gives them that - even when it’s wrong.

So the real question isn’t "What’s safe?" It’s "How do I know?"

Don’t rely on algorithms, influencers, or forum threads. Use the TRIAD method. Check the source. Verify the author. Follow the evidence. And when in doubt - call MotherToBaby. Their experts answer questions for free, 24 hours a day. You don’t need to be an expert to protect your pregnancy. You just need to know where to look.

If you’re unsure about any medication - whether it’s a prescription, supplement, or over-the-counter pill - don’t guess. Use the TRIAD method. Check the source. Verify the author. Follow the evidence. And when you need help, call MotherToBaby. They’re there for you - no judgment, no sales pitch, just facts.