Off-Label Use of Ondansetron in Pregnancy in Western Australia

Lyn Colvin; Andrew W. Gill; Linda Slack-Smith; Fiona J. Stanley; Carol Bower

doi:10.1155/2013/909860

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Off-Label Use of Ondansetron in Pregnancy in Western Australia

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Off-Label Use of Ondansetron in Pregnancy in Western Australia

Lyn Colvin, Andrew W. Gill, Linda Slack-Smith, Fiona J. Stanley and Carol Bower

BioMed research international, Vol.2013, 909860

2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/909860

PMCID: PMC3874333

PMID: 24396830

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Abstract

Aims Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy is the most common medical condition in pregnancy. There is an increasing trend to prescribe ondansetron although its safety for use in pregnancy has not been established. Methods. Exposed pregnancies were all births in Western Australia, 2002–2005, where the mother was dispensed ondansetron under the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, compared with all other births during the same period. Outcomes investigated include maternal and child characteristics, birth defects, pregnancy, and delivery characteristics. Results There were 96,968 births from 2002 to 2005. Ondansetron was dispensed to 251 pregnant women during this period. The women dispensed ondansetron were more likely to be privately insured (OR: 5.8; 95% CI: 4.3–7.9), to be Caucasian (3.3; 1.9–5.7), not to smoke during their pregnancy (2.9; 1.8–4.7), to have a multiple birth (2.7; 1.5–5.0), and to have used fertility treatment (1.8; 1.0–3.4). There was a small but not significantly increased risk of a major birth defect with first trimester exposure (1.2; 0.6–2.2). Conclusions Our study did not detect any adverse outcomes from the use of ondansetron in pregnancy but could not conclude that ondansetron is safe to use in pregnancy.

Details

Title: Off-Label Use of Ondansetron in Pregnancy in Western Australia
Authors/Creators: Lyn Colvin - The Kids Research Institute Australia
Andrew W. Gill - Univ Western Australia, Ctr Neonatal Res & Educ, Subiaco, WA 6008, Australia
Linda Slack-Smith - The University of Western Australia
Fiona J. Stanley - The Kids Research Institute Australia
Carol Bower - The Kids Research Institute Australia
Publication Details: BioMed research international, Vol.2013, 909860
Publisher: Hindawi Publishing Group
Number of pages: 8
Grant note: RA/4/1/1390 / WA Cross-Jurisdictional Data Linkage Project 634341 / National Health and Medical Research Fellowship
Identifiers: 991005569340507891
Copyright: © 2013 Lyn Colvin et al
Murdoch Affiliation: Ngangk Yira Institute for Change
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.72 Obstetrics & Gynecology; 1.72.1745 Pregnancy Medication Safety
Web Of Science research areas: Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology; Medicine, Research & Experimental
ESI research areas: Biology & Biochemistry