Table 2.
Most commonly taken medications during pregnancy, classified as probably safe, potentially risky, or unclassified, according to the US FDA and AU-TGA classifications
| Probably safea | ||
|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic class and INN | ATC code | n (%) |
| Analgesic/antipyretics | ||
| Paracetamol | N02BE01 | 447 (18.9) |
| Antibacterial agents | ||
| Amoxicillin | J01CA04 | 169 (7.1) |
| Erythromycin | J01FA01 | 112 (4.7) |
| Ceftriaxone | J01DD04 | 41 (1.7) |
| Antiprotozoal agents | ||
| Metronidazole | A01AB17 | 83 (3.5) |
| Metronidazole | G01AF01 | 19 (0.8) |
| Antifungal agents | ||
| Miconazole | G01AF04 | 133(5.6) |
| Nystatin | G01AA01 | 63 (2.7) |
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin C | A11GA01 | 78 (3.3) |
| Multivitamins | A11AA05 | 75 (3.2) |
| Antispasmodics | ||
| Butylscopolamine | A03BB01 | 28 (1.2) |
| Antiemetics | ||
| Metoclopramide | A03BB01 | 32 (1.3) |
| Levosulpiride | N05AL07 | 20 (0.8) |
| Meclozine | R06AE55 | 11 (0.5) |
| Anti-allergic agents | ||
| Cyproheptadine | R06AX03 | 32 (1.3) |
| Chlorphenamine | R06AB04 | 16 (0.7) |
| Potentially riskyb | ||
|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic class and INN | ATC code | n (%) |
| Antimalarials | ||
| Quinine | P01BC01 | 536 (22.6) |
| Amodiaquine/Artesunate | P01BF03 | 249 (10.5) |
| Artemether/Lumefantrine | P01BF01 | 17 (0.7) |
| Bacterial vaccines | ||
| Tetanus vaccines | J07AM01 | 272 (11.5) |
| Antibacterial agents | ||
| Neomycin | D07CB01 | 9 (0.4) |
| Cotrimoxazole | J01EE01 | 4 (0.2) |
| Ciprofloxacin | J01MA02 | 137 (5.8) |
| Antiparasitic agents | ||
| Albendazole | P02CA03 | 13 (0.5) |
| Mebendazole | P02CA01 | 48 (2.0) |
| Analgesic/Antipyretics | ||
| Metamizole | N02BB02 | 22 (0.9) |
| Lysine acetylsalicylate | N02BA01 | 17 (0.7) |
| Sedatives | ||
| Diazepam | N05BA01 | 10 (0.4) |
| Anti-inflammatory | ||
| Diclofenac | M01AB05 | 12 (0.5) |
| Ibuprofen | M01AE51 | 5 (0.2) |
| Antiretrovirals | ||
| Combivir | J05AR01 | 1 (0) |
| Zidovudine | J05AF01 | 5 (0.2) |
| Unclassified | ||
|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic class and INN | ATC code | n (%) |
| Antispasmodics | ||
| Phloroglucinol | A03AX12 | 320 (13.5) |
| Drotaverine | A03AD02 | 15 (0.6) |
| Antiemetics | ||
| Metopimazine | A03FA01 | 44 (1.9) |
| Antimalarials | ||
| Dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine | P01BF05 | 23 (1) |
| Artesunate | P01BE03 | 2 (0.1) |
| Antibacterial agents | ||
| Spiramycin | J01FA02 | 3 (0.1) |
| Antiprotozoal agents | ||
| Tilbroquinol | P01AA05 | 3 (0.1) |
AU-TGA: Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration, US-FDA: United States Food and Drug Administration, ATC: Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical, INN: International Non-proprietary Name
Women may have used more than one medication
Study sample, n = 2371. These medicines have been used women of the study by 1345
aExcluding iron+folic acid for anaemia prevention
bExcluding sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy