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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2011 Nov 19;94(1):22–30. doi: 10.1002/bdra.22865

Table 5.

Odds ratios of neural tube defects in offspring exposed to selected medications in the first trimester among women with first trimester nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, National Birth Defects Prevention Study 10/97–12/04

Exposed Unexposed Crude Adjustedb
Medication Exposurea Cases Controls Cases Controls OR 95% CI OR 95% CI
Antihistamine Antiemetics 43 211 668 3805 1.16 0.83–1.63 1.24 0.87–1.78
      Doxylamine 7 38 704 3978 1.04 0.46–2.34 1.05 0.46–2.43
      Promethazine 35 161 676 3855 1.24 0.85–1.80 1.39 0.94–2.06
Other Antihistamine 17 97 694 3919 0.99 0.59–1.67 0.99 0.58–1.71
      Diphenhydramine 16 68 695 3947 1.32 0.76–2.28 1.32 0.74–2.34
antihistamine antiemetics plus B6 combinations:
      Doxylamine plus pyridoxine 6 19 705 3997 1.78 0.71–4.45 1.84 0.71–4.78
Phenothiazines (other than Promethazine) 4 16 707 4000 1.41 0.47–4.24 1.59 0.51–4.96
      Prochlorperazine 4 16 707 4000 1.41 0.47–4.24 1.59 0.51–4.96
5HT3 antagonists 4 46 707 3970 0.49 0.18–1.36 0.58 0.21–1.64
      Ondansetron 4 44 707 3972 0.51 0.18–1.43 0.60 0.21–1.68
Emetrol/Coke syrup 5 22 706 3994 1.29 0.49–3.41 1.46 0.54–3.94
      Phosphorated Carbohydrate Solution 5 21 706 3995 1.34 0.51–3.58 1.53 0.57–4.16
Bismuth subsalicylate 7 15 704 4001 2.65 1.08–6.53 2.37 0.90–6.21
Antacids 29 198 682 3818 0.82 0.55–1.22 0.92 0.61–1.39
      Calcium Carbonate 20 153 691 3863 0.73 0.46–1.17 0.87 0.54–1.42
      Aluminum Magnesium Hydroxide/Simethicone 4 29 707 3987 0.78 0.27–2.22 0.61 0.19–1.96
H2 Blockers 8 29 703 3987 1.56 0.71–3.44 1.80 0.80–4.05
      Ranitidine 4 21 707 3995 1.08 0.37–3.14 1.28 0.43–3.82
Pyridoxine 14 98 697 3918 0.80 0.46–1.41 0.75 0.42–1.34
Herbal/Natural products 22 119 689 3897 1.05 0.66–1.66 1.14 0.70–1.83
a

Used alone or in combination with other agents; categories are not mutually exclusive. Missing data on medication exposure (<0.7% of subjects) were grouped with the unexposed.

b

Adjusted for maternal age, race/ethnicity and education, parity, plurality, previous miscarriage, any smoking in the month before conception through the first trimester, body mass index, infant sex, any folic acid use in the month before conception through the first trimester, use of unknown antiemetic, site, and expected year of delivery. N=711 NTD cases (634 (89.2%) isolated, 76 (10.7%) multiple, and 1 (0.1%) complex defects) and 4016 controls.