Obstetrician-gynaecologist knowledge of and access to information about the risks of medication use during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To assess opinions, knowledge, and informational resources of obstetrician-gynaecologists regarding the safety of medication use during pregnancy.


METHODS
A questionnaire was mailed to 770 members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists who participate in the Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network.


RESULTS
The response rate was 58%. Of these, 305 respondents provide both routine gynecologic and obstetric care and are the focus of the study. There was wide variation in obstetrician-gynaecologists' assessments of the safety for the foetus of medications ranging from aspirin to valproic acid. The Physicians' Desk Reference was most frequently (75%) cited as a source of information about medication safety. Forty-two percent of obstetrician-gynaecologists selected lack of sufficient information on medications as the greatest barrier to counselling pregnant women about their use, while only 4% selected lack of access to information as the greatest barrier. Most (79%) obstetrician-gynaecologists indicated they would be willing to participate in pregnancy exposure registries, but far fewer (24%) reported having done so.


CONCLUSIONS
These results emphasise the need for safety information about the effects of medication use during pregnancy and suggest that pregnancy exposure registries are underutilised.
Morgan
Maria A
MA
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC 20024, USA.
Cragan
Janet D
JD
Goldenberg
Robert L
RL
Rasmussen
Sonja A
SA
Schulkin
Jay
J
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003625:Data Collection; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects; D009774:Obstetrics; D011247:Pregnancy; D013723:Teratogens
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D013723:Teratogens