title: Sildenafil in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review of Maternal Tolerance and Obstetric and Perinatal Outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This systematic review evaluates maternal tolerance and obstetric and perinatal outcomes following sildenafil citrate (SC) use in human pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched. Relevant full-text studies including case series and reports in English were included. Publications were excluded if the pregnancy was terminated or if SC was used only at conception.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen studies were included (n = 165). Indications for use and outcomes were variably reported. Maternal outcomes reported were headache (45.8%, 49/107), visual disturbances (17.3%, 14/81), dyspepsia/epigastric pain (15.8%, 15/95), and hypotension (0%, 0/39). There were more caesarean (83.3%, 55/66) than vaginal deliveries (16.7%, 11/66) and postpartum haemorrhage occurred in 3.9% (3/76) of women exposed to SC. Neonatal outcomes including nursery admission (67.3%, 35/52), Apgar scores <7 at 5 min (7.1%, 4/56), and cord arterial pH <7.1 (0%, 0/17) were reported. Stillbirths (4.3%, 3/69) and neonatal deaths (3.9%, 5/129) were comparable to SC-naïve groups. There were no congenital malformations (0%, 0/35).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite limited data, overall there does not appear to be any severe adverse maternal side effects nor any increase in the rate of stillbirths, neonatal deaths, or congenital anomalies attributed to SC.
authors.affiliation: Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Liam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: Ristan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greer
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Flenady
authors.forename: Sailesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate