Our Work

About MotherToBaby

MotherToBaby, a service of the non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), is the nation’s leading authority and most trusted source of evidence-based information on the benefit or risk of medications and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. We specialize in answering questions about the benefit/risk of exposures, such as medications, vaccines, chemicals, herbal products, substances of abuse, maternal health conditions and much more, during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Our no-cost information service is available to people who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding, their family members, health professionals, and the general public via chat, text, phone, and email in both English and Spanish.

MotherToBaby is a suggested resource by many agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Women’s Health. More than 100,000 people and their health providers seek information about birth defects prevention from OTIS and MotherToBaby every year.

We also conduct state-of-the-art observational research on the safety of medications and vaccines in pregnancy. 9 out of 10 people who are pregnant in the United States take medication but evidence on the safety of many medications during pregnancy is often lacking. Our observational MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies aim to provide this much-needed information so people who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding and their health providers can make more informed treatment decisions.

MotherToBaby welcomes all individuals and families at all stages of their pregnancy and lactation journey. We strive to use inclusive and person-centered language when talking about pregnancy and lactation. By using inclusive and person-centered terminology, we hope to enable all families to be empowered to reach their personal and familial pregnancy and lactation goals. While our name still contains a reference to mothers, we are updating our resources with more inclusive terms. Use of the term mother or maternal refers to a person who is pregnant. Use of the term father or paternal refers to a person who contributes sperm. We welcome feedback on any of the terms used and acknowledge that our understanding of these terms will evolve over time and is always better informed by open dialogue.

MotherToBaby opposes laws that prevent people from making informed reproductive choices, or that seek to prevent or criminalize healthcare professionals informing patients of scientific knowledge or reproductive options. Our service will continue to provide confidential, evidence-based, scientifically accurate and unbiased information about exposures before and during pregnancy that allows people who are pregnant or who could become pregnant to make informed reproductive choices.

Read more about the history, vision, mission, goals, leadership and funding of our parent organization, OTIS.

Our Affiliates

The MotherToBaby network consists of 13 affiliates housed at acclaimed universities and hospitals across the United States and Canada. These affiliates provide the MotherToBaby service to people living in all 50 U.S. states, the U.S. territories, and the province of Quebec in Canada. We encourage you to find your affiliate and to connect with the team that is working to reduce the chance of preventable birth defects in your community.

Annual Report

Learn more about the impact we made educating the public on the benefits and risks of exposures during pregnancy and lactation to improve maternal and child health.