Schirm E, Meijer WM, Tobi H, de Jong-van den Berg LTW. Drug use by pregnant women and comparable non-pregnant women in The Netherlands with reference to the Australian classification system.
Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2004;
114:182-8. [PMID:
15140513 DOI:
10.1016/j.ejogrb.2003.10.024]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2003] [Revised: 07/09/2003] [Accepted: 10/21/2003] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To describe drug use in pregnancy, and compare drug use of pregnant women with non-pregnant women with respect to possible teratogenicity.
STUDY DESIGN
A cross-sectional study based on pharmacy records from 1997 to 2001 was performed. Pregnant women and matched non-pregnant women (same physician and age) were identified. Prescriptions were set against the Australian risk classification.
RESULTS
Thirty-five percent of all prescriptions for non-pregnant women were safe in pregnancy (Australian classification A), in 14% the risk was unknown (B1, B2), 49% were potentially harmful drugs (B3, C, D, X), and in 3% no classification was available. For pregnant women these figures were 86, 3, 10 and 2%, respectively. In non-pregnant women the highest percentages of prescriptions for unsafe drugs were for psycholeptics (99% not classified as safe), psychoanaleptics (100%), anti-inflammatory/antirheumetic products (100%), antihistamines (94%), antacids/anti-ulcer drugs (81%), antiepileptics (100%), beta-blockers (100%), systemic antimycotics (100%), antiprotozoals (97%), diuretics (100%) and immunosuppressives (100%). In pregnant women this pattern was comparable, except for antihistamines (22%) and antacids/anti-ulcer drugs (3%).
CONCLUSION
We conclude that many drugs used by non-pregnant women should be avoided in pregnancy, and that pregnant women indeed do so. However, for some drug groups the available safe alternatives are limited.
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