ABSTRACT
AIMS: To investigate whether ondansetron use during pregnancy is associated with increased rates of major or subgroups of malformations. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane and Reprotox® databases were searched. Observational studies comprising an exposed and control group (healthy and/or disease-matched) were included. RESULTS: No significant increased risk for major malformations, heart defects, orofacial clefts, genitourinary malformations or hypospadias were identified in our primary analysis. A significant heterogeneity existed for isolated cleft palate. Elevated point estimates and altered statistical significances were present for some of the outcomes among secondary analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Ondansetron use during pregnancy was not associated with a significant increase in rate of major or selected subgroups of malformations in our primary analysis. However, results of the secondary analyses warrant the need for continued surveillance. These results may be reassuring for pregnant women in whom ondansetron use is clinically indicated since the absolute risks of possible concerns appear to be low.
Subject(s)
Abnormalities, Drug-Induced/epidemiology , Antiemetics/therapeutic use , Ondansetron/therapeutic use , Case-Control Studies , Cohort Studies , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether maternal exposure to quinolones, fluoroquinolones and specifically ciprofloxacin is associated with major malformations and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase and Reprotox® databases were searched. Observational studies with an exposed and control group were included. RESULTS: Analysis of 8 cohort and 2 case-control studies showed no significant increases in rates of major malformations for quinolone (OR, 1.04; 95% CI 0.89-1.21), fluoroquinolone (RR, 0.89; 95% CI 0.70-1.14) and ciprofloxacin exposure (RR, 0.72; 95% CI 0.43-1.19). For fluoroquinolones, live birth rate was significantly decreased (RD, -0.04; 95% CI -0.08 to -0.01) whereas elective termination rate (RD, 0.04; 95% CI 0.02-0.05) was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Quinolone, fluoroquinolone and ciprofloxacin exposure were not associated with a significant increase in major malformations and adverse pregnancy outcomes, other than significantly decreased live birth rate and increased elective termination rate which may be the indicators of misperceived teratogenic risk.
Subject(s)
Abnormalities, Drug-Induced/epidemiology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/toxicity , Maternal Exposure , Pregnancy Outcome/epidemiology , Quinolones/toxicity , Case-Control Studies , Cohort Studies , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Trimester, FirstABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pregnancy outcomes of women who were exposed to betahistine during their pregnancies. METHODS: We identified and evaluated the outcomes of 27 pregnant women who were referred to Terafar (Teratology Information Service, Izmir, Turkey) for a teratological risk assessment. RESULTS: Of 24 pregnancies with known outcomes, 21 resulted in live births (including two pairs of twins) whereas two ended with miscarriage and three with elective terminations. Among the 20 live births for whom the malformation details were available, there were 17 normal outcomes, one major and two minor congenital malformations. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a number of limitations, this case series may be of value regarding counseling pregnant women with inadvertent betahistine exposure. Further epidemiological studies with larger sample sizes and control groups are necessary to draw more definite conclusions.
