ABSTRACT
Our aim was to evaluate maternal use of sedative drugs before, during, and after pregnancy and to assess the influence of use of these drugs on pregnancy outcomes. The study cohort (N = 6231) consists of all primiparous women, who lived in the city of Vantaa, Finland, and who delivered a singleton between 2009 and 2015. Data were obtained from Finnish national health registers. Of the women, 3.2% (n = 202) purchased at least once sedative drugs within 90 days before conception, during pregnancy and/or within 90 days after delivery. Sedative drug users were older, less likely to cohabitate, more often smokers, had lower educational attainment and had more mental diseases (for all p < 0.001) compared with non-users. Sedative drug users purchased more often antidepressants and drugs for the alimentary tract, musculoskeletal and nervous system than non-users (for all p < 0.001). No adverse birth or pregnancy outcomes were found in the group using sedative drugs compared with the non-users. Studies in larger cohorts are needed to confirm our study findings.
Subject(s)
Hypnotics and Sedatives/adverse effects , Adult , Antidepressive Agents/adverse effects , Cohort Studies , Educational Status , Female , Finland , Humans , Mental Disorders/drug therapy , Musculoskeletal System/drug effects , Nervous System/drug effects , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Outcome , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of opioids in pregnant primiparous women and study the effect of opioid use on maternal and offspring delivery outcomes. METHODS: The study cohort (N = 6231) consists of all primiparous women with a Finnish background who delivered a singleton between 2009 and 2015 in the city of Vantaa, Finland. Data on births, maternal characteristics, pregnancy outcomes, and purchases of prescription drugs were obtained from National Health Registers. RESULTS: Of the primiparous women, 5.1% used opioids during pregnancy. Of these, 95.9% used codeine. No differences were observed in purchases of opioids between the different trimesters but more women purchased opioids as pregnancy progressed (.002). Users of opioids more often also purchased other prescription drugs compared with non-users of opioids, 89% versus 58% (P < .001); age, smoking, education, and body mass index adjusted odds ratio 5.66 (95% confidence interval 3.96 to 8.09). Caesarean sections were more common in users of opioids than in non-users, 28.3% versus 21.9% (.007). Before the age of 7 days, the offspring of users of opioids more often needed respirator treatment compared with the offspring of non-users, 3.1% versus 1.6% (.044). CONCLUSIONS: One out of 20 pregnant women used opioids. Use of opioids during pregnancy was associated with the risk for deliveries by caesarean sections and need for respiratory treatment among the offspring during the first week of life. Further safety evaluations are needed.
