Authors: Bengt Källén Petra Otterblad Olausson
Publish Date: 2007/01/30
Volume: 63, Issue: 4, Pages: 363-373
Abstract
Using the Swedish Medical Birth Register we identified 24369 women who reported the use of antiasthmatic drugs in early pregnancy and 7778 women who were prescribed such drugs later during pregnancy by antenatal care system centres during the period July 1 1995 up to and including 2004 We studied maternal characteristics and pregnancy and delivery complications Comparisons were made with all women having given birth to a child recorded in the register during this periodWomen using antiasthmatic drugs were characterized by a young maternal age low parity increased rate of smoking low education and high body mass index An association with subfertility was also observed Preexisting diabetes did not occur in excess A number of pregnancy and delivery complications occurred at an increased rate with the use of antiasthmatic drugs notably when three or more such drugs had been used gestational diabetes odds ratio OR = 159 preeclampsia OR = 144 haemorrhage at delivery OR = 132 and premature rupture of membranes OR = 159 no excess of placenta abruption or previa was found Primary weak contractions occurred more often than expected in women that used antiasthmatic drugs OR = 115 and this was tentatively linked to the use of β2 adrenergic agonists Most of the increased risk for caesarean section OR = 179 could be explained by these pregnancy complications An increased risk for delivery induction OR = 174 was found among deliveries that did not start with a caesarean section
Keywords: