Perception of teratogenic risk of common medicines

Objective : To assess the perception of the teratogenic risk of common medi cation by professionals and lay people. Study Design: A visual-analogue sca le was used to measure the perceived percentage of mothers who will deliver a child with a malformation, including those exposed to a list of drugs. F ifteen general practitioners, 10 gynaecologists, 106 pre-clinical students, 150 students in their clinical training, 81 pregnant women and 63 non-preg nant women were interviewed. Results: The perception of the teratogenic ris k related to medication used in pregnancy was higher than the recognised ri sk in all groups, and for all drugs. The risk associated with safe medicati ons was perceived to be higher by non-pregnant women as compared with the p regnant women. Pregnant women perceived the medication associated risk to b e higher than physicians did for all drugs included in the questionnaire. C onclusions: The high and unrealistic perception of teratogenic risk amongst women and health professionals may lead to abortions of otherwise wanted a nd healthy children. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights rese rved.