Drug use during early pregnancy: Cross-sectional analysis from the Childbirth and Health Study in Primary Care in Iceland

Figures & data

Table I. Characteristics of participants in the Childbirth and Health Study 2009.

	Participants
	n = 1111	%
Parity
Primipara	439	40
Multipara	671	60
Age
18–19	18	2
20–24	168	15
25–29	405	36
30–34	328	30
35–39	155	14
> 40	37	3
Mean age (yrs)	29.4
Education
Elementary school only	123	11
High school or similar	291	26
Technology or similar Higher education < 4 years	291	26
University > 4 years	404	36
Residence:
Capital area	763	69
Rural area	347	31
Marital status
Married/cohabiting	1032	93
Single	30	3
Other	48	4

Table II. Type and consumption pattern of self-reported drug use during early pregnancy.

	Total			Seldom			Weekly			Daily
	n	%	(95% CI)	n	%	(95% CI)	n	%	(95% CI)	n	%	(95% CI)
Sleep medication	12	1	(0.5–1.8)	10	1	(0.4–1.5)	0	0		2	0	(–0.17–0.5)
Antidepressants	35	3	(2.2–4.4)	2	0	(–0.1–0.5)	0	0		33	3	(2.1–4.2)
Relaxants	9	1	(0.3–104)	5	1	(0.1–0.9)	0	0		4	0	(0.0–0.8)
Analgesics	496	46	(43–49)	481	45	(42–48)	14	1	(0.6–1.9)	1	0	(–0.1–0.3)
Hormones	29	3	(1.8–3.8)	5	1	(0.1–0.9)	0	0		24	2	(1.4–3.2)
Nicotine	18	2	(0.9–2.5)	10	1	(0.4–1.5)	2	0	(–0.1–0.5)	6	1	(0.1–1.0)
Vitamins/minerals	959	88	(86–90)	164	15	(13–17)	81	7	(6–9)	714	65	(62–68)
Homeopathic/remedies	68	7	(65–71)	43	4	(3–5)	9	1	(0.3–1.4)	16	2	(0.8–2.3)
Psychotropics^1	56	6	(4–7)	17	2	(0.8–2.4)	0	0		39	4	(2.5–4.8)

Note: ¹Sleep medication, antidepressants, and relaxants together.

Table III. Analysis of variables that might influence drug use during early pregnancy: overall, psychotropics, and analgesics.¹

		Drugs^2			Psychotropics			Analgesics
	N	n	%	p	n	%	p	n	%	p
	1111	541	49		56	5		496	46
Primipara	439	192	44		20	5		174	40
Multipara	671	349	52	0.013	29	4	0.844	320	48	0.009
Age				0.75			0.189			0.418
18–19	18	6	33		2	11		4	22
20–24	168	81	48		7	14		76	45
25–29	405	202	50		15	4		190	47
30–34	328	155	47		11	3		144	44
35–39	155	77	50		12	8		67	43
≥ 40	37	18	54		2	5		15	41
Marital status
Single	79	39	49	0.901	7	9	0.046	33	42	0.594
Married/cohabiting	1032	502	49		42	4		463	45
Education
Elementary school	123	62	50	0.687	10	8	0.034	53	43	0.715
College/university	986	478	49		39	4		442	49
Employment status			0.024			0.001			0.042
Employed	819	386	47		28	3		357	44
Unemployed	72	44	61		10	20		38	53
Student	151	68	45		8	5		60	40
Housewife	26	16	61		2	4		15	58
Other	43	27	63		1	2		26	61
Smoking during pregnancy
Yes	53	33	62	0.043	7	13	0.001	25	47	0.705
No	1058	508	48		46	4		471	45
Drug use six months prior to pregnancy
Yes	869	490	56	< 0.001	48	6	0.001	449	52	< 0.001
No	238	49	21		1	0		45	19
Depressive symptoms^3
Yes	46	29	63	0.045	8	17	0.001	26	57	0.093
No	1060	508	48		41	4		466	44

Notes: ¹Vitamins/minerals and homeopathic medicine were excluded. ²Including over-the-counter drugs, excludes vitamins, minerals, homeopathic medicine, and remedies. ³Edinburgh Depression Scale score ≥ 15.

Figure 1. Number of women taking drugs from one, two, three, and four drug categories (excluding vitamins/minerals and homeopathic medicine) six months prior to and at 11–16 weeks of gestation.

Table IV. Stressful life events and association with drug use during pregnancy.^1. .

	N	Drugs^2			Psychotropics			Analgesics
		n	%	p	n	%	p	n	%	p
Serious personal accident/illness
Yes	19	17	74	0.065	2	11	0.348	11	58	0.307
No	960	459	48		40	4		421	44
Serious concerns about a family member
Yes	402	191	48	0.537	25	6	0.058	174	43	0.376
No	534	256	48		16	3		233	44
Divorce or separation
Yes	22	9	41	0.690	4	18	0.004	7	31	0.455
No	714	352	49		26	4		323	45
Forced to change job
Yes	65	33	51	0.858	5	8	0.011	29	45	0.530
No	961	469	49		35	4		435	45
Feelings of insecurity at work
Yes	236	122	52	0.569	9	4	0.871	117	50	0.208
No	812	388	48		37	5		350	43
Serious financial problems
Yes	128	70	55	0.067	11	9	0.009	62	48	0.181
No	924	436	47		33	4		402	44

Notes: ¹If event took place more than one year ago, no effect on drug use was observed. ²Including over- the-counter drugs, excludes vitamins, minerals, homeopathic medicine, and remedies.