1. Metoclopramide for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: a prospective multicenter international study.
- Author
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Berkovitch M, Mazzota P, Greenberg R, Elbirt D, Addis A, Schuler-Faccini L, Merlob P, Arnon J, Stahl B, Magee L, Moretti M, and Ornoy A
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Antiemetics administration & dosage, Brazil, Canada, Case-Control Studies, Congenital Abnormalities etiology, Dopamine Antagonists administration & dosage, Female, Humans, Israel, Italy, Metoclopramide administration & dosage, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Outcome, Pregnancy Trimester, First, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Prospective Studies, Risk, Antiemetics adverse effects, Dopamine Antagonists adverse effects, Metoclopramide adverse effects, Nausea drug therapy, Obstetric Labor, Premature chemically induced, Pregnancy Complications drug therapy, Vomiting drug therapy
- Abstract
Nausea and vomiting are very common during pregnancy, mainly throughout the first trimester. Metoclopramide is a dopamine receptor blocking drug that is commonly used to treat nausea and vomiting. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the effect on the fetus of intrauterine exposure to metoclopramide. One hundred and seventy-five women who received metoclopramide and consulted 6 teratogen information centers in Israel, Italy, Brazil, and Canada were studied. Women exposed to metoclopramide were paired for age, smoking and alcohol consumption habits with women exposed to nonteratogens. Women in the metoclopramide group had a significantly higher rate of premature births (8.1%) as compared with the control group (2.4%) ( p = 0.02, relative risk = 3.37, 95% confidence interval 1.12-10.12). Rates of major malformations in the metoclopramide group (4.4%) did not differ from controls (4.8%) ( p = 0.84, relative risk = 0.91, 95% confidence interval 0.34-2.45). According to our findings, metoclopramide use during the first trimester of pregnancy does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of malformations, spontaneous abortions, or decreased birth weight, however, larger studies are needed to confirm these observations.
- Published
- 2002
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