Journal of Clinical Medicine
Medication Use Patterns and Exposure to High-Risk Medications Among Pregnant Women Seeking Counseling from a Teratology Information Service: A Nine-Year Retrospective Study
By Gülce Sevdar Çeçen, Bilge Çetinkaya Demir, Taha Harun Özdemir and 2 others.
Abstract
Background
Medication use during pregnancy is common; however, exposure to medications with potential fetal risks remains an important public health concern. This study aimed to characterize medication use patterns and assess exposure to potentially high-risk medications among women seeking counseling from a Teratology Information Service.
Methods
This retrospective descriptive study included all consultations provided by a Teratology Information Service between January 2017 and December 2025. Maternal demographic characteristics, gestational age at consultation, medication exposures, and consultation-related data were retrospectively extracted from service records. Medications were classified according to the World Health Organization Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification System and the former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pregnancy risk categories (A, B, C, D, and X). Vitamin and mineral supplements were analyzed separately. Polypharmacy was defined as the concurrent use of five or more medications.