Maternal Demographic Patterns in Medication use During Pregnancy: A Nationwide Register Study

Abstract

In recent years, medication use during pregnancy has increased, yet its association with maternal characteristics remains unclear. To address this gap, we aimed to investigate how maternal age, pre-gestational body mass index (BMI), smoking, parity, ethnic origin and employment status relate to medication use during pregnancy. We conducted a nationwide Danish registry study, including 698 447 clinically recognised pregnancies with a gestational age of at least 10 weeks, spanning from 2008 to 2018. Medication use was estimated based on prescription redemptions during pregnancy and stratified by the demographic factors of interest. Overall, 60.3% of pregnant women redeemed at least one prescription, while 28.9% redeemed multiple medications. Notably, higher usage was observed among women aged 35 or older, those with a BMI of 30 kg/m² or more, smokers, multipara, Black women, and early retirees. Medication combination patterns differed with the demographic subgroups. These findings highlight notable differences in medication use among demographic groups during pregnancy, underscoring the need for tailored healthcare strategies during pregnancy.