Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Assessment of Maternal Vascular Remodeling During Pregnancy in the Mouse Uterus
Published on: December 5, 2015
Assessment of medication use during pregnancy by Web-based questionnaires, pharmacy records and serum screening
Marleen M H J van Gelder1, Lutea A A de Jong2, Bernke Te Winkel3
1Department for Health Evidence, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Radboud REshape Innovation Center, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Objective:
To compare assessment of early pregnancy medication exposure using three methods of data collection.
Methods:
Serum samples were obtained from 752 women participating in the PRegnancy and Infant DEvelopment (PRIDE) Study before gestational week 17. For 52 women using medication at the date of blood sampling according to Web-based questionnaires or pharmacy records, we analysed serum samples using untargeted liquid chromatography time-of-flight spectrometry.
Results:
Medication was detected in 18 serum samples (35%). Medications taken orally for chronic conditions reported in the questionnaire were detected in serum and vice versa. Pharmacy records did not identify additional exposed women, but missed exposure in 5 women mainly due to unavailability. We observed substantial discordance between the three methods for inhaled medication, dermatological preparations, and medications for short-term use, which went often undetected in serum.
Conclusions:
It remains challenging to assess medication use in large-scale studies as no 'gold standard' is currently available.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Nephrotic Syndrome II : Assessment and Medical Management
Inhaled Medications
Data Reporting and Recording
Endocarditis III: Medical Management
Myocarditis III: Medical Management
Pericarditis III: Medical Management

