With many of the topical and systemic medications for acne available over the counter, the concern on how best to treat acne in pregnancy, without causing adverse effects for the mother and the fetus, has become an important issue.

When a woman gets pregnant, there are a number of hormonal changes that take place in the body. The increase in certain hormones in the first trimester of pregnancy leads to the formation of acne.

Post the delivery of the baby, this skin problem reduces to a great extent in women who did not have any acne problem prior to conceiving.

Tretinoin is one of the most common retinoids that are used to treat acne. Tretinoin clears the upper layer of the skin by peeling it off. Tretinoin gives very good results in acne treatment and in improvement of skin. But being a Vitamin A derivative, it cannot be used during pregnancy. All other retinoids also cannot be used.

Does that mean you have to grin and bear the acne for three, four, or five months? No way! Topical medications like Benzoyl peroxide or Azelaic acid are typically safe to use during pregnancy. Oral medications, however, should be avoided during pregnancy, with the exception of oral erythromycin, which your doctor may prescribe if your acne is severe.

The fact remains, though, if you do suffer from acne, you need to find the solutions and ointments and treatments that work for you. Just as everyone is different and not everyone suffers from acne breakouts, so too are the medications--some work for some people while they do nothing or little for others.

Next is to be sure to be drinking a minimum of 8 pints of water a day, the water will naturally help with detoxing the body which helps aid in having clear supple skin. Substitute teas and coffees with Green Teas, these are high in anti-oxidants and will also help with detoxification, but more importantly you are eliminating your caffeine consumption.

While it won't make the sufferer feel any better while dealing with acne during pregnancy, it is normally temporary and will clear up after the baby's birth and hormone levels return to pre-pregnancy levels. In cases where it does not clear up, once the pregnancy is over, medications can then be prescribed to clear up acne.

You may also consider refraining from taking oral acne treatments during pregnancy, specially those medications with higher dosages of vitamin A since this may threaten the life of your unborn child. These medications may cause congenital defects, learning disabilities, and physical deformities.

Another thing you can do is drink plenty of water, you should aim to consume around 8 glasses per day, you may be wondering why? Well, by drinking water, you will flush out the toxins in your body, via your kidneys, that would otherwise have been secreted through your skin pores, causing further acne outbreaks.

A pregnant woman has enough to worry about without having to worry about her skin. This is why curing acne during pregnancy eliminates that worry and allows the woman get on with the most important job in the world, bringing her baby into the love and care of her family.

Read about Week By Week Pregnancy and also read about Early signs of pregnancy and Ectopic pregnancy