Common teratogenic medication exposures-a population-based study of pregnancies in the United States

Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved..

BACKGROUND: Risk mitigation for most teratogenic medications relies on risk communication via drug label, and prenatal exposures remain common. Information on the types of and risk factors for prenatal exposures to medications with teratogenic risk can guide strategies to reduce exposure.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify medications with known or potential teratogenic risk commonly used during pregnancy among privately insured persons.

STUDY DESIGN: We used the Merative™ MarketScan® Commercial Database to identify pregnancies with live or nonlive (ectopic pregnancies, spontaneous and elective abortions, stillbirths) outcomes among persons aged 12 to 55 years from 2011 to 2018. Start/end dates of medication exposure and pregnancy outcomes were identified via an adapted algorithm based on validation studies. We required continuous health plan enrollment from 90 days before conception until 30 days after the pregnancy end date. Medications with known or potential teratogenic risk were selected from TERIS (Teratogen Information System) and drug monographs based on the level of risk and quality of evidence (138 with known and 60 with potential risk). We defined prenatal exposure on the basis of ≥1 outpatient pharmacy claim or medical encounter for medication administration during target pregnancy periods considering medication risk profiles (eg, risk only in the first trimester or at a certain dose threshold). Sex hormones and hormone analogs, and abortion and postpartum/abortion hemorrhage treatments were not considered as teratogenic medications because of challenges in separating pregnancy-related indications, nor were opioids (because of complex risk-benefit considerations) or antiobesity medications if their only teratogenic mechanism was weight loss.

RESULTS: Among all pregnancies, the 10 medications with known teratogenic risk and the highest prenatal exposures were sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (1988 per 100,000 pregnancy-years), high-dose fluconazole (1248), topiramate (351), lisinopril (144), warfarin (57), losartan (56), carbamazepine (50), valproate (49), vedolizumab (28 since 2015), and valsartan (25). Prevalence of exposure to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim decreased from 2346 to 1453 per 100,000 pregnancy-years from 2011 to 2018, but prevalence of exposure to vedolizumab increased 6-fold since its approval in 2015. Prenatal exposures in the first trimester were higher among nonlive pregnancies than among live-birth pregnancies, with the largest difference observed for warfarin (nonlive 370 vs live birth 78), followed by valproate (258 vs 86) and topiramate (1728 vs 674). Prenatal exposures to medications with potential teratogenic risk were most prevalent for low-dose fluconazole (6495), metoprolol (1325), and atenolol (448). The largest first-trimester exposure differences between nonlive and live-birth pregnancies were observed for lithium (242 vs 89), gabapentin (1639 vs 653), and duloxetine (1914 vs 860). Steady increases in hydralazine and gabapentin exposures were observed during the study years, whereas atenolol exposure decreased (561 to 280).

CONCLUSION: Several medications with teratogenic risk for which there are potentially safer alternatives continue to be used during pregnancy. The fluctuating rates of prenatal exposure observed for select teratogenic medications suggest that regular reevaluation of risk mitigation strategies is needed. Future research focusing on understanding the clinical context of medication use is necessary to develop effective strategies for reducing exposures to medications with teratogenic risk during pregnancy.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:6

Enthalten in:

American journal of obstetrics & gynecology MFM - 6(2024), 1 vom: 05. Jan., Seite 101245

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Wang, Yanning [VerfasserIn]
Smolinski, Nicole E [VerfasserIn]
Thai, Thuy Nhu [VerfasserIn]
Sarayani, Amir [VerfasserIn]
Ewig, Celeste [VerfasserIn]
Rasmussen, Sonja A [VerfasserIn]
Winterstein, Almut G [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

0H73WJJ391
50VV3VW0TI
5Q7ZVV76EI
614OI1Z5WI
6CW7F3G59X
8VZV102JFY
AN164J8Y0X
Angiotensin II receptor blocker
Angiotensin-converting enzyme
Atenolol
Fluconazole
Gabapentin
JE42381TNV
Journal Article
Pregnancy prevention program
Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies
Risk management
Risk minimization measure
Sulfamethoxazole
Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim
Teratogen
Teratogens
Topiramate
Trimethoprim
Valproate
Valproic Acid
Vedolizumab
Warfarin

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 16.01.2024

Date Revised 16.01.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.101245

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM365524425