title: Obstetrician-gynaecologist knowledge of and access to information about the risks of medication use during pregnancy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC 20024, USA.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Janet D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Cragan
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
authors.forename: Sonja A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulkin
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D013723:Teratogens