Screening for potentially teratogenic medications in the hospital setting: a necessity or a luxury?

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the frequency and type of potentially teratogenic medications administered to hospitalized pregnant women. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted among pregnant women hospitalized between 2021 and 2023. KEY FINDINGS: Among 155 individuals, 1058 medications were administered (mean: 6.8 per patient), including 77 potentially teratogenic medications (7.3%), corresponding to 27.1% of the cohort. Indomethacin (18.7%), tramadol (18.1%), and sufentanil (7.7%) were most common. Such medications were used nearly twice as often during non-pregnancy versus pregnancy-related admissions (12.7% vs. 6.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the potential value of pregnancy-related monitoring, however, improving pregnancy documentation, especially in non-obstetric wards, remains essential.