Can prescription medications cause birth defects?

Yes: Most meds are safe in pregnancy, but there are a few that are reliably teratogenic. Accutane reliably causes birth defects. Ace inhibitors can cause renal anomalies. Some antiseizure medications increase the risk of birth defects. One needs to check with their doctor about each med they are taking. Some drugs are teratogenic in early pregnancy but safe later on. Check with your md.

Some can, some don't: A prescription acne med taken by mouth causes well described birth defects & women on the med are required to be on 2 forms of birth control. Many medications do not cause problems. If you are planning to get pregnant it is important to make sure any med or supplement you take is safe.