Drug Use in Pregnancy. Principal Problems and a Review of Newer Utilization Studies

Abstract

The thalidomide disaster set focus on the problems of drug utilization and safety during pregnancy, particularly with respect to malformations, but other, and more subtle, side effects may also occur as a result of drug consumption in pregnancy. Our knowledge of adverse drug effects in pregnancy is still sparse, especially with respect to side-effects other than malformations. As consumption of medicine in pregnancy is common we need large epidemiological studies are needed to address this issue. Our knowledge of the long-term effects of drugs on the child's function, its mental and motor development, is at best sporadic. Studies on drug use by pregnant women have shown that at least 50% take one or often several drugs during pregnancy, most of the drugs have been analgesics and antibiotics. In summary, our knowledge in this field is limited and insufficient. Hopefully three new Danish studies will give more insight in this very complex subject with substantial public health relevance.