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Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reminded healthcare professionals that use of systemic (oral and injectable) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac is contraindicated in the last trimester of pregnancy (after 28 weeks of pregnancy). It has advised that patients who are unsure whether pain relief medicine they are taking is an anti-inflammatory (NSAID), to speak to doctor, midwife, or pharmacist. Some non-prescription pain relief medicines may contain more than one active drug, therefore it is important to read the box or the leaflet provided with the medicine to see if it contains an NSAID like ibuprofen. The use of any non-prescription medicine for the management of pain during pregnancy should be for the shortest possible time at the lowest possible dose, suggested MHRA.

Healthcare professionals in the UK are being advised to avoid prescribing the migraine and antiseizure medication topiramate, commonly known by the brand name Topamax, to women and girls unless they fulfil the requirements of a Pregnancy Prevention Programme. This guidance follows new safety measures introduced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) following a major safety review, which highlighted a potential increased risk of neurodevelopmental disabilities in children exposed to topiramate during pregnancy. The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) evaluated studies that examined the risks associated with using topiramate during pregnancy. These studies indicated that children born to mothers who took topiramate during pregnancy had an approximately 2 to 3 times higher risk of intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Based on CHM's recommendations, the MHRA now advises that topiramate should not be prescribed for treating epilepsy during pregnancy unless there is no suitable alternative.