title: The safety of calcium channel blockers during pregnancy: a prospective, multicenter, observational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the safety of calcium channel blockers during the first trimester of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter (n=11), prospective observational study of the European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS). The rate of major birth defects was compared between a cohort of pregnant women exposed to calcium channel blockers during the first trimester (n=299) and a control group not exposed to potential teratogens (n=806).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Major birth defects were not more common in the study group than in the control group. Birth weight was significantly lower in exposed term newborns. There were more preterm infants in the study group than in the control group (23.8% vs. 6.5%). These adverse effects are more likely due to the underlying disease than to the medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that calcium channel blockers during the first trimester of pregnancy do not represent a major teratogenic risk.
authors.affiliation: Pharmakovigilanz- und Beratungszentrum für Embryonaltoxikologie, (BBGes), Berlin Institute for Clinical Teratology and Drug Risk Assessment in Pregnancy, Spandauer Damm 130, Haus 10, 14050 Berlin, Germany. weber@embryotox.de
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weber-Schoendorfer
authors.forename: Doreen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hannemann
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meister
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eléfant
authors.forename: Benedikte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cuppers-Maarschalkerweerd
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arnon
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vial
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Pinilla
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clementi
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robert-Gnansia
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Santis
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Malm
authors.forename: Alla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dolivo
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schaefer
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers