Drugs exposures during pregnancy and neonatal risk assessment

Abstract

Background: Medication use is inevitable in the management of chronic or acute disease conditions during pregnancy. However, obstetric pharmacotherapy is most challenging for healthcare providers as they make effort to balance the benefit and risk of medication use during pregnancy. Objective: To profile medical conditions and medication use during pregnancy, and to assess potential or actual neonatal risks following drug exposure in pregnancy. Methods: The study was carried out in 6 healthcare facilities in Edo State, Nigeria. A total of 2,530 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics (ANC) in the health facilities were recruited and followed-up to delivery. Demographic, clinical, obstetric, and drug information were collected from women during their first encounter with the investigator and these data were updated in subsequent follow-up visits by the women. Data were collected through interviews, review of medical records and ANC cards. At delivery, the clinical information of the neonates was obtained and recorded and neonatal risk assessment undertaken. The prescribed medications were classified as safe, low risk and high risk drugs in pregnancy. Paired sample t-test method was used to copmpared categorical veriables and p-values