Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program (MEPREP).

Area of Science:

• Pharmacoepidemiology
• Reproductive Health
• Drug Safety

Background:

• Limited data exists on the safety of prescription medications used during pregnancy.
• Approximately two-thirds of pregnant women use at least one prescription medication.
• There is a scarcity of rigorous studies on birth outcomes following in utero medication exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a collaborative pharmacoepidemiological research program for evaluating medication safety in pregnancy.
• To develop standardized data requirements and mother-infant data linkages for multi-site investigations.
• To address critical knowledge gaps regarding the safety of pharmaceutical products during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• The Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program (MEPREP) was established.
• Standardized data requirements and mother-infant pair data linkages were developed.
• A large population of over one million mother-infant pairs from 11 health management entities was compiled, covering deliveries between 2001 and 2007.

Main Results:

• The MEPREP dataset includes comprehensive medication exposure data for mothers.
• Detailed infant outcome data, including birth weight, fetal growth, congenital anomalies, and perinatal conditions, is available.
• The large dataset allows for powerful investigations into various maternal demographics and medication-related outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The MEPREP program provides a robust platform for pharmacoepidemiological research on medication safety in pregnancy.
• The collected data enables the study of diverse birth outcomes in relation to maternal medication use.
• This initiative is crucial for enhancing the understanding and ensuring the safety of medications during pregnancy.