DELIVERY OUTCOME AFTER THE USE OF ACID-SUPPRESSING DRUGS IN EARLY-PREGNANCY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO OMEPRAZOLE

Objective To study delivery outcome after maternal use of acid-suppres sing drugs during early pregnancy. Design Cohort study of women identi fied by interview in early pregnancy. Population Sweden women giving b irth from 1995 to early 1997. Methods Comparison of infants exposed to acid-suppressing drugs with all births in 1995-1996. Main outcome mea sures Presence of congenital malformations. Results Proton pump blocke rs were used by 275 women, H-2 receptor antagonists by 255 women, and both categories of drugs by 20 women. No effect of the use of omeprazo le or H-2-receptor antagonists on the rate of congenital malformations could be demonstrated. Conclusions Though a teratogenic effect of the se drugs cannot be completely ruled out, the individual risk after exp osures during the first trimester seems to be negligible.