There is very little information on the actual state of drug / supplement use during pregnancy and its safety, and especially in Japan, there was no evaluation base, so we relied on overseas evidence and data.

　This time, the group investigated the actual conditions of pre-pregnancy and pre-pregnancy drug and supplement use among 97,464 pregnant women who participated in the Ministry of the Environment's "National Survey on Environment and Child Health (Eco-Chill Survey)".

　As a result, the percentage of pregnant women who used medicines / supplements was 78.4% in the first year before pregnancy, 12% between the time when pregnancy was found and the 57.1th week of pregnancy, and 12% after the 68.8th week of pregnancy.As for the contents of the products used, in the first year before pregnancy, "commercially available antipyretic / analgesic / cold medicine" was used most often (1%), followed by "hospital-prescribed antipyretic / analgesic / cold medicine" (34.7). %), And "all antipyretics" (29.8%) in that order.

　From the time of pregnancy to the 12th week of pregnancy, "folic acid supplement" was used most (28.9%), followed by "hospital-prescribed antipyretic / analgesic / vulnerable drug" (7.8%) and Chinese herbal medicine (6.0%). In order.After 12 weeks of gestation, "folic acid supplements" are most often used (26.2%).This was followed by "uterine relaxants" (15.2%) and "hospital-prescribed antipyretics / analgesics / common colds" (13.3%).

　In the future, it is expected that research will progress on the effects of the use of medicines and supplements during pregnancy on newborns.

Paper information: [Pharmacy] Drug Use before and during Pregnancy in Japan: The Japan Environment and
Children's Study