Accutane can also cause miscarriages. Since its approval, Accutane has been labeled as being in pregnancy category X, meaning it should not be used during pregnancy. However, due to persistent reports of birth defects associated with use of the drug in 1988, the manufacturer, Hoffmann-La Roche, began including additional patient information in the packaging, including a drawing of a baby with birth defects associated with the drug. Before being permitted to take Accutane, a woman of childbearing age must sign a consent form stating she has been fully informed of the drug's side effects. This drug is also forbidden for use by women who are pregnant or who are likely to become pregnant either while taking it or for a certain period after they have stopped taking it.
Mental retardation is common, as is hyperactivity, extreme nervousness, and poor attention span.
Because it's difficult to determine how much alcohol puts a fetus at risk and at what stages of pregnancy the fetus is affected, it is not known whether drinking any amount of alcohol is safe. The safest course at present, therefore, is for pregnant women to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages. Safety of Tests X-rays may pose dangers to the fetus. Certain tests are routinely done to check the well-being of the fetus during pregnancy and labor. The most common of these, ultrasound, uses sound waves that bounce off internal organs to project images of the organs and the fetus on scanners.