Clear as mud, right? This rating system often leaves doctors and mothers-to-be very confused, so the FDA wants to scrape this system and replace it with clear language that everyone can be clear about. But for then, we have this system as a rough guide. Let's review some ratings of common pain medications.

Aspirin:  D                                                            

Ibuprofen: B (except, not recommended in third trimester)

Acetaminophen:  B

Oxycodone: B

Methadone: C

Buprenorphine: C (Buprenorphine alone is preferred over Suboxone)

Morphine: C (caution in third trimester)

Well, this list goes on and on. In general, the opioids are all rated as a "C" because of the risk to the fetus. The opioid chemical dependency in the mother is passed on to the fetus. When the baby is born, the newborn can experience withdrawal symptoms-neonatal abstinence syndrome. For this reason, a woman with chemical dependency to opioids needs to seek specialty care when she becomes pregnant.

Any woman with pregnancy, pain, and pills needs special consideration because the health of the mother and fetus are at stake. Being afraid to ask questions or being afraid to give answers does not help this potentially dangerous situation. When an elephant is in the room, talk about it. Pregnancy happens. Pain happens. And solutions can be found.

Please take a moment to share your experiences and opinions about this topic.