Consultation Activity of Two Slovak Centres for Pharmacotherapy During Pregnancy and Lactation

Overview

Background.
In our paper we present analysis based on number and structure of consultations concerning drug used in pregnancy and lactation in the Drug Information Centre in Bratislava and at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology in Nitra during period 2000 to 2003. 

Methods and Results.
In both centres the questions related to pregnancy and lactation represented the significant part of total sum of the requested information. Vast majority of consulted drugs belonged to C category concerning FDA pregnancy drug risk classification. In these drugs animal studies have revealed a risk, but studies in pregnant women were not available and thus the drugs had limited applicability from view point of safety. Decisions of consultants regarding drug use were based on the availability of information sources. A serious problem is the evaluation of retrospective drug risks in cases of drugs administered before pregnancy was confirmed. 

Conclusions.
The evaluation of drug risk in fertile age, especially in early pregnancy, long-term drug administration during pregnancy and lactation becomes indispensable within professional field of clinical pharmacy and pharmacology in developing local teratogen surveillance system. 

Key words:
drug, teratogenicity, pregnancy, lactation.