Praktické lekárnictvo 1/2024

Overview of pharmacotherapy consultations for pregnant women

Introduction: Pregnancy, childbirth and lactation represent a specific issue from the point of view of pharmacotherapy and at the same time a great challenge and an important role in risk assessment and optimization of pharmacotherapy for clinical pharmacists and pharmacologists. Aim: The aim of the retrospective study was to evaluate the pharmacotherapy used by women during pregnancy and the range of drugs that were the subject of pharmacotherapy consultation. Methods: We obtained the data for the retrospective study from the records of the pharmacotherapeutic consultation of the clinical pharmacist focused on the risk of taking drugs during pregnancy at the request of doctors. Data collection was carried out at the Internal Clinic of the Nitra Teaching Hospital over a period of five and a half years. Results: The patients in the monitored group used a total of 263 medications. The average number of drugs used per patient was 2.6. In total, we processed information on 106 female patients, aged from 16 to 41 years. A total of 50 women consulted contraindicated drugs, which represents 47% of the total number of evaluated consultations. Conclusion: The role of the clinical pharmacist and pharmacologist in the retrospective risk assessment of pharmacotherapy during pregnancy is irreplaceable. Experts in pharmacotherapy reduce the number of unjustified terminations of pregnancy due to the use of drugs and reduce the psychological stress of expectant mothers regarding the health of their child.

Keywords: clinical pharmacist, pharmacotherapy in pregnancy, pharmacotherapy consultation, contraindication in pregnancy