Oh Jeongin, Cho Yongtai, Han Jung Yeol, Choi Ahhyung, Shin Ju-Young
School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea.
Korean Mothersafe Counselling Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inje University, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
J Korean Med Sci. 2025 Jan 13;40(2):e80. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e80.
Oral corticosteroids (OCS) are frequently used during pregnancy, but patterns of their usage and indications are understudied. We described OCS utilization among pregnant women in South Korea using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment database, 2010-2021. Among 4,574,294 pregnancies, 6.2% (n = 283,001) were exposed to OCS, with the annual prevalence increasing from 4.98% in 2010 to 6.65% in 2021. Methylprednisolone and prednisolone accounted for 90% of OCS use during pregnancy, and the median duration of prescriptions was four days. Respiratory and skin diseases were the most common indications, and prescriptions for pregnancy-associated conditions increased notably after 2017, coinciding with insurance coverage for infertility treatments. OCS prescriptions declined during the first trimester and increased near delivery, suggesting discontinuation upon pregnancy recognition. Our findings highlight the common and increasing use of OCS during pregnancy, mainly for acute conditions, underscoring the need for further research on their safety in pregnant populations.
口服糖皮质激素（OCS）在孕期经常使用，但其使用模式和适应证尚未得到充分研究。我们利用2010 - 2021年健康保险审查与评估数据库描述了韩国孕妇中OCS的使用情况。在4574294例妊娠中，6.2%（n = 283001）的孕妇接触过OCS，年患病率从2010年的4.98%上升至2021年的6.65%。甲基泼尼松龙和泼尼松龙占孕期OCS使用量的90%，处方的中位持续时间为4天。呼吸系统疾病和皮肤病是最常见的适应证，2017年后与妊娠相关疾病的处方显著增加，这与不孕症治疗的保险覆盖范围相吻合。OCS处方在孕早期减少，在临近分娩时增加，这表明在确认怀孕后停药。我们的研究结果突出了孕期OCS使用的普遍性和增加趋势，主要用于急性疾病，强调了有必要进一步研究其在孕妇群体中的安全性。
