[Incidence of birth defects in children of mothers using medications in the 1st trimester of pregnancy in the Czech Republic 1996-2002].

OBJECTIVE

To process the results on the incidence of birth defects in the children of mothers using medicines in the first trimester of pregnancy in the Czech Republic during 1996-2002.

DESIGN

A retrospective analysis of data from the National Register of birth Defects in the Czech Republic.

METHODS

The data from the nationwide register of birth defects administrated in the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic for the period 1996-2002 were used for the study. The data on the incidences of selected types of birth defects identified in children born to mothers using medicines in the first trimester of pregnancy were compiled and an analysis of these medicines was carried out in relation to the diagnosed types of birth defects. The data on healthy children born to mothers using medicines during the 1st trimester of pregnancy were used as the control sample.

RESULTS

In our retrospective analysis covering the years 1996-2002, a total of 1,146 birth defects were identified in children of women using medication in the 1st trimester of pregnancy and a total of 891 children affected in this way were identified.

CONCLUSION

The study presents the updated results of these analyses based on nationwide registration of birth defects for a seven-year period. It analyses the types of birth defects in the children of women using medication in the 1st trimester of pregnancy and the types of medicines used by these women. In our study, we have found a significantly higher incidence in the population of the children born to women using medicines in the 1st trimester of pregnancy in several cases. From among the group of cleft defects affecting the central nervous system, this concerns for example anencephalia and spina bifida, as well as congenital hydrocephalus, anophthalmy/microphthalmy, auricle abnormalities and limb reduction deformities. From these results that we produced, it is of course not possible to draw significant conclusions with a clinical impact. However, pregnant women should avoid any medicines in the first trimester of pregnancy, except for those cases, which are strictly indicated from the medical point of view and which are recognised as reasonably safe. As concerns the use of other medicines, their genetic and teratogenic risk should be assessed comprehensively by a specialised clinical geneticist on a case-by-case basis.