Drugs in pregnancy and lactation

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47 Drugs in pregnancy and lactation

Drugs in pregnancy

The use of both prescription and over-the-counter drugs in pregnancy presents a number of challenges to those asked to provide advice to women either pre-conceptually or during pregnancy. This is in part due to the fact that no two cases are the same, and that each enquiry ideally requires an individual risk assessment that takes into account what is known about the drug and its effects on the developing fetus, as well as the woman’s personal medical and family history. It is now well recognised that certain drugs, chemicals and other agents, readily cross the placenta and may act as teratogens, resulting in harm to the unborn child. Robust scientific human data on the effects of many of these drugs, particularly newer preparations, are, however, frequently lacking.

There is now a greater appreciation of the risks of drug use in pregnancy, and it is generally accepted that maternal pharmacotherapy should be avoided or minimised where possible. Nevertheless, it has been estimated that over 80% of expectant mothers take three or four drugs at some stage of pregnancy (Headley et al., 2004) with a significant number of women taking medication at the time their pregnancy is detected. Indications for drug use range from chronic illnesses such as epilepsy and depression to those commonly associated with pregnancy such as hypertension, urinary tract infections and gastro-intestinal complaints.

Approximately 2–3% of all live births are associated with a congenital anomaly. Although exogenous factors such as drugs may account for only 1–5% of these (affecting <0.2% of all live births), given that drug-associated malformations are largely preventable, they remain an important consideration.

Drugs as teratogens

A teratogen is defined as any agent that results in structural or functional abnormalities in the fetus, or in the child after birth, as a consequence of maternal exposure during pregnancy. Examples of drugs that are known to be human teratogens are shown in Box 47.1. The teratogenic mechanism for most drugs remains unclear, but may be due to the direct effects of the drug on the fetus and/or as a consequence of indirect physiological changes in the mother or fetus. Perhaps the best known, and most widely studied teratogen is thalodimide, a mild sedative that was widely marketed as a remedy for pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. In 1961, thalidomide was withdrawn from the UK market following numerous reports of severe anatomical birth defects in infants of mothers who took the drug in early pregnancy. Whereas external congenital anomalies such as limb abnormalities, spina bifida and hydrocephalus may be obvious at birth, some defects may take many years to manifest clinically or be identified. Examples of delayed effects of teratogens are the behavioural and intellectual disorders associated with in utero alcohol exposure and the development of clear-cell vaginal cancer in young women following maternal intake of diethylstilboestrol, used first in the 1930s for the prevention of miscarriage and preterm delivery (Herbst et al., 1971).

Critical periods in human fetal development

The human gestation period is approximately 40 weeks from the first day of the last menstrual period (38 weeks’ post-conception) and is conventionally divided into the first, second and third trimesters, each lasting 3 calendar months. Another method for classifying the stage of pregnancy is according to the stage of fetal development. This is a more useful approach when assessing the potential risks associated with drug use in pregnancy.

Principles of teratogenesis

In 1959, James Wilson, co-founder of The Teratology Society, proposed several principles of teratogenesis that have since been expanded and modified but remain fundamental in assessing whether a drug or chemical exposure during pregnancy is likely to be associated with reproductive or developmental toxicity. A basic understanding of these factors is essential to both the interpretation of preclinical (animal) reproductive toxicity studies and to enable accurate risk assessment in clinical practice. A subset of Wilson’s principles are discussed as follows.

Timing of exposure

The stage of pregnancy at which a drug exposure occurs is key to determining the likelihood, severity or nature of any adverse effect on the fetus. Risk both between and within trimesters may be variable. For example, folic acid antagonists, for example, trimethoprim, are associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects if exposure occurs before neural tube closure (third to fourth week post-conception), but not after this period (Hernandez-Diaz et al., 2001). It has also been suggested that trimethoprim should be avoided after 32 weeks’ gestation in view of the theoretical risk of severe jaundice in the neonate as a result of bilirubin displacement from protein binding, although clinical evidence to support this is lacking (Dunn, 1964). Unfortunately, the precise period of teratogenic risk is known for very few substances. One drug for which this period has been established is thalidomide, where exposure between days 20 and 36 post-conception is associated with a high risk of congenital malformation (Lenz, 1988; Newman, 1986).

Species

Teratogenicity of a drug may be species dependent. Interestingly, preclinical thalidomide studies in mice and rats did not result in congenital malformation in the offspring (Breitkreutz and Anderson, 2008; Miller et al., 2009; Vorhees et al., 2001). Birth defects or other adverse reproductive outcomes observed in animal studies cannot therefore be simply extrapolated to the human situation. Further, the drug dose and route of administration used in early animal studies may not be comparable to clinical use in humans.

Pharmacological effect

Pharmacological effects on the fetus are by far the most common drug effects during pregnancy, and the consequences are often minor and reversible compared to the idiosyncratic effects that can lead to major irreversible anomalies. Pharmacological effects are usually dose related and to some extent predictable. Drugs may adversely affect the fetus via effects on the maternal circulation or they may cross the placenta and exert a direct pharmacological effect on the fetus. Equally, drugs are sometimes administered to pregnant women in order to treat fetal disorders; for example, flecainide has been used to resolve fetal tachycardia.

The neonate can also be adversely affected by maternal drug therapy (see Table 47.1). It is generally only at birth that signs of fetal distress are observed due to in utero drug exposure or the effects of abrupt discontinuation of the maternal drug supply. The capacity of the neonate to eliminate drugs is reduced, and this can result in significant accumulation of some drugs, leading to toxicity. Neonatal withdrawal effects may require treatment.

Table 47.1 Examples of drugs with pharmacological effects on the fetus or neonate

Drug Possible adverse pharmacological effect Notes
ACE inhibitors Fetal and neonatal hypoxia, hypotension, renal dysfunction, oligohydramnios and intra-uterine growth retardation Monitor fetus if long-term therapy in the second or third trimester
β-Blockers, for example, atenolol Neonatal bradycardia, hypotension and hyperglycaemia Neonatal symptoms are usually mild and improve within 48 h. No long-term effects
Benzodiazepines ‘Floppy infant syndrome’ Risk if regular use in third trimester
Withdrawal reactions Neonatal observation recommended
Corticosteroid (high dose) Fetal adrenal suppression Dependent on dose and treatment interval
NSAID Premature closure of the ductus arteriosus (affecting fetal circulation) and fetal renal impairment (decreased urine output) Avoid repeated use after week 28. If unavoidable, fetal circulation monitored regularly
Opioids Neonatal withdrawal symptoms Risk if used long-term
Respiratory depression Risk if used near term
Phenothiazines Neonatal withdrawal and transient extrapyramidal symptoms Observation for at least 48 h. Symptoms may last for several weeks
Tricyclic and SSRI antidepressants Neonatal withdrawal symptoms Risk if used long-term and/or near term. Observation for at least 48 h

(adapted from Schaefer et al., 2007)

Idiosyncratic drug effects in the fetus and neonate are possible but occur rarely compared with pharmacological effects.

Maternal pharmacokinetic changes

There are a number of maternal changes which occur during pregnancy and are summarised in Table 47.2.

Table 47.2 Summary of pharmacokinetic changes during pregnancy (adapted from Schaefer et al., 2007)

Absorption Change during pregnancy
Gastro-intestinal motility
Lung function
Skin blood circulation
Distribution
Plasma volume
Body water
Plasma protein
Fat deposition
Metabolism
Liver activity ↑ ↓
Excretion
Glomerular filtration

Absorption

Gastric and intestinal emptying time increases by 30–40% in the second and third trimesters (Pavek et al., 2009) and could be important in delaying absorption and time to onset of action for some drugs (Loebstein et al., 1997). There is also a reduction in gastric acid secretion in the first and second trimesters and an increase in mucus secretion. As a consequence of the increase in gastric pH, the ionisation, and hence absorption, of weak acids and bases can be affected.

Cardiac output and respiratory volume increase during pregnancy leading to hyperventilation and increased pulmonary blood perfusion. These changes cause higher pulmonary absorption of anaesthetics, bronchodilators, pollutants, cigarette smoke and other volatile drugs.

Distribution

The volume of distribution of drugs may be altered because of an increase of up to 50% in blood (plasma) volume and a 30% increase in cardiac output. Renal blood flow increases by up to 50% at the end of the first trimester and uterine blood flow increases and peaks at term (36–42 L/h). There is also a mean increase of 8 L in body water (60% to placenta, fetus and amniotic fluid and 40% to maternal tissues). As a consequence, there may be increased dosage requirements for some drugs to achieve the same therapeutic effect, provided these effects are not offset by other pharmacokinetic changes. Both the total plasma and the free-drug concentrations of phenytoin, carbamazepine and valproic acid decrease during pregnancy, but the free-drug fraction (ratio of free to total plasma concentration) may increase (Pavek et al., 2009).

Drug dosing in pregnancy

As a general principle, the dose of a drug given at any stage of pregnancy should be as low as possible to minimise potential toxic effects to the fetus. Drug therapy that is considered essential can be tapered to the lowest effective dose either before conception (ideally) or at the time the pregnancy is diagnosed. Where drug exposure during the third trimester is predicted to have an adverse effect on the neonate postpartum, consideration may be given to slowly reducing the dose towards term to minimise the risks to the baby. Such decisions are, however, not always straightforward. Recommendations to wean an expectant mother off antidepressants and antipsychotics to reduce the likelihood of neonatal withdrawal syndrome (characterised by jitteriness, altered muscle tone, poor feeding and irritability) and, in the case of the SSRIs, avoid the possible increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) are now being challenged. Not only are there insufficient data to conclusively demonstrate neonatal benefit or an optimal time of weaning, but also the increased risk of psychiatric problems and relapse in the immediate postpartum period needs to be taken into account.

Many physiological changes occur during pregnancy which may affect the way the body handles drugs. Knowledge of these changes can allow some prediction of the impact on pharmacotherapy while remaining aware that there is variability in the extent of these changes during the pregnancy, and high inter-individual variability. The need for changes in dosages is influenced by whether the drug is excreted unchanged by the kidneys or which metabolic isoenzymes are involved in its elimination. Women taking drugs with enhanced clearance and for which a good correlation between plasma levels and therapeutic effect exist, should have their plasma concentrations closely monitored and dose adjusted to reduce the risk of suboptimal therapy, for example, phenytoin, carbamazepine, lithium and digoxin. Similarly, highly protein-bound drugs may require free-drug concentration monitoring. However, there is no clear guidance for adjusting doses during pregnancy, and for most drugs, the concentration of free drug, and therefore the effect of that drug, is unchanged.

Pregnancy itself can cause a temporary worsening or improvement of some diseases and in that way influence drug dosages.