Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Special Statement: Updated checklists for pregnancy management in persons with HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Pregnancy

Approximately 5000 people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) give birth each year. Perinatal transmission of HIV will occur in about 15% to 45% of pregnancies without treatment. With appropriate antiretroviral therapy for pregnant people as well as appropriate intrapartum and postpartum interventions, the rate of perinatal transmission can be reduced to less than 1%. Antiretroviral therapy will also reduce health risks for pregnant patients living with HIV. All pregnant people should be offered the opportunity to learn their HIV status and access treatment as needed.

Analysis of prescribing error and pharmacist's intervention on obstetrics and gynaecology outpatient prescriptions in a Malaysian tertiary hospital

Prescribing error in obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) poses harm to women and potentially to the foetus and new born. Pharmacists' interventions have been reported to prevent prescribing error from reaching the patients. Little is reported on the magnitude of prescribing error and pharmacist intervention in a subspecialised outpatient O&G setting. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of prescribing error and pharmacists' interventions at the O&G outpatient setting. This retrospective study involved screening of prescriptions for commission and omission errors. Acceptance, clinical significance and rationale for pharmacists' interventions were analysed. Of the 3883 prescriptions screened, 359 (9.2%) prescriptions contained prescribing error, mainly (52.4%) due to commission errors. Among the 395 interventions performed by the pharmacists, 207 (52.4%) were recorded for omission errors. All the interventions were accepted by the prescribers with 65.1% were categorised as 'very significant'. About 54% of the interventions were conducted to optimise treatment outcome. The prevalence of prescribing error and pharmacists' interventions on O&G outpatient prescriptions was found to be substantial in this study. Standard prescription writing guideline should be routinely regulated, monitored and educated among healthcare professionals. Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? Prescribing error rate in O&G was found lowest in outpatient setting as compared to inpatient and high risk settings. Pharmacists' intervention performed at the centralised inpatient pharmacy unit or on-ward has shown to reduce prescribing error in inpatient settings.What do the results of this study add? This study identified that the prescribing error rate in a subspecialised outpatient O&G setting was within the range reported in high risk O&G settings. The number of prescriptions to pharmacists' intervention ratio of 9.8:1 was reported.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Further research, preferably qualitative in nature, is recommended to explore, identify and address the factors that may hinder clear, accurate and complete prescription writing practices.