The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7321 p550
16 October 2004

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Pregnant women take medicines despite risks

Only 17 per cent of women avoid taking medicines during pregnancy despite the possible risk to the fetus, research has shown (European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2004;60:355).

Of 14,199 women surveyed, only 7.6 per cent did not report use of any medicinal product throughout their entire pregnancy. After exclusion of iron, folate, vitamins, supplements, herbal and homoeopathic products and skin emollients, 83 per cent of those completing all questionnaires had used conventional therapeutic drugs.

Analgesics, mostly paracetamol but also aspirin, were taken by 39 per cent of women during the early stages of pregnancy.

Iron preparations were used by 33 per cent, 22 per cent took folic acid supplements and 23 per cent used antacids in mid to late pregnancy.

A requirement for medication is not surprising, considering that pregnant women suffer from a variety of symptoms, says the study’s author, Judith Headley of the University of Bristol’s department of community-based medicine. However, she observed that minor ailments were often self-treated with over-the-counter products. She also suggests that some women turn to alternative therapies in order to avoid taking conventional medicines and may end up taking non-standardised herbal preparations.

“It is a long time now since the world was shocked by the effects of thalidomide, so perhaps it is time to remind women who may become pregnant that some drugs can be harmful and that they should seek advice from a health professional before self-medicating,” Dr Headley warns. “All the research appears to suggest that the reported incidence of drug use in pregnancy is higher in recent years.”

In response to the findings of the study, the British National Formulary issued a statement repeating its advice that medicines should be avoided during pregnancy as far as possible. However, it added: “Given that occasionally the potential for harm might be overstated, it is important to bear in mind that pregnant women can become worried and anxious if they are told that they should not have taken a medicine (even though the evidence for that medicine doing harm is weak).

“It is important to understand how many women have taken medicines during pregnancy, but it is even more important to determine the clinical outcome of their pregnancy.”