title: Antihypertensive drug prescription pattern before and during pregnancy in France.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study provides firsthand information on antihypertensive prescriptions before and during pregnancy in France.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study, on 23,898 women, was carried out using data from the French Health Insurance System.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before and during pregnancy, 1.1% and 5.1% of women received prescriptions for antihypertensive drugs: beta blockers and diuretics before, and nifedipine, nicardipine, labetalol and methyldopa during pregnancy. Sixty-six pregnant women were exposed to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnant women still receive prescriptions for harmful drugs. In order to prevent such exposures, it should be recommended to avoid these prescriptions in women of child-bearing age who plan to be pregnant.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Médicale et Clinique, Unité de Pharmacoépidémiologie, EA 3696, Université de Toulouse, Faculté de Médecine, 37 allées Jules-Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Duhalde
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Médicale et Clinique, Unité de Pharmacoépidémiologie, EA 3696, Université de Toulouse, Faculté de Médecine, 37 allées Jules-Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delarue
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Médicale et Clinique, Unité de Pharmacoépidémiologie, EA 3696, Université de Toulouse, Faculté de Médecine, 37 allées Jules-Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lacroix
authors.affiliation: Caisse Régionale d'Assurance Maladie de Midi-Pyrénées, 31065 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.affiliation: Caisse Régionale d'Assurance Maladie de Midi-Pyrénées, 31065 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bourrel
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Médicale et Clinique, Unité de Pharmacoépidémiologie, EA 3696, Université de Toulouse, Faculté de Médecine, 37 allées Jules-Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Montastruc
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacologie Médicale et Clinique, Unité de Pharmacoépidémiologie, EA 3696, Université de Toulouse, Faculté de Médecine, 37 allées Jules-Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Damase-Michel