Drugs in pregnancy

Question 1

What foetal problem can alcohol cause?

Answer 1

Fetal alcohol syndrome

Question 2

What foetal problems can smoking cause?

Answer 2

• Low birth weight
• Premature birth
• Cerebral palsy
• Learning difficulties

Question 3

What foetal problems can marijuana, ecstasy and cocaine cause?

Answer 3

• Low birth weight
• Withdrawal symptoms
• Learning and behavioural problems

Question 4

What does pharmacokinetics mean?

Answer 4

What the body does to a drug

Movement of a drug through the body

Question 5

What does pharmacokinetics include?

Answer 5

Absorption
Bioavailability
Distribution
Metabolism
Excretion

Question 6

What does pharmacodynamics include?

Answer 6

Biochemical
Physiologic
Molecular effects of drugs on body

Question 7

What is the main drug used for the safe treatment of hypertension during pregnancy?

Answer 7

Labetolol

Question 8

What other drugs can be used for the safe treatment of hypertension during pregnancy?

Answer 8

• Nifedipine
• Methyldopa
• Hydralazine

Question 9

What are teratogenic drugs that can’t be used to treat hypertension during pregnancy?

Answer 9

• ACE inhibitors

* Angiotensin receptor antagonist (ARB’s)

Question 10

What effect does pregnancy have on antiepileptic drugs?

Answer 10

It causes a change in the free serum concentration of antiepileptics

Question 11

What do you need to give someone with epilepsy when pregnant?

Answer 11

A high dose of folic acid

Question 12

What antiepileptic drugs are safe in pregnancy?

Answer 12

Carbamazepine

Lamotrigine

Question 13

What antiepileptic drugs are not safe in pregnancy?

Answer 13

Phenobarbitone

Sodium valproate

Question 14

What is the safest medication for someone with diabetes who is pregnant?

Answer 14

Insulin

Question 15

What can metformin be used for in someone who is pregnant?

Answer 15

Gestational diabetes

Type 2 diabetes

Question 16

What drug is safe to use to treat someone with a thromboembolism?

Answer 16

Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH)

Question 17

What drugs are not safe to treat a thromboembolism in pregnancy?

Answer 17

Warfarin

DOAC’s

Question 18

Why should you treat asthma with medication during pregnancy?

Answer 18

The risk of use of medication are lower than the risk of untreated asthma

Question 19

What medications are safe to use to treat a headache?

Answer 19

Paracetamol
Ibuprofen
Sumatriptan
Propranolol

Question 20

What medication used to treat a headache should be avoided in the third trimester?

Answer 20

Ibuprofen

Question 21

What are advantages of morphine based medication?

Answer 21

No increased risk of congenital abnormalities

It is labour analgesia

Question 22

When should you not use codeine ?

Answer 22

During lactation- could cause infant opiate toxicity

Question 23

When should SSRI’s be used?

Answer 23

When the benefits outweigh the risk

Question 24

What foetal abnormality can lithium cause?

Answer 24

Ebstein’s anomaly which is a cardiac anomaly

Question 25

What foetal abnormalities can diazepam cause?

Answer 25

Cleft lip

Floppy infant syndrome

Question 26

What foetal abnormalities can Quetiapine cause?

Answer 26

Poor neonatal adaptation syndrome

Question 27

What 3 antibiotics are safe to use during pregnancy?

Answer 27

Penicillin
Macrolide
Cephalosporin

Question 28

What 3 antibiotics are nit safe during pregnancy?

Answer 28

Tetracycline
Aminoglycoside
Sulphonamides

Question 29

What is the effect of tetracycline on a foetus?

Answer 29

Skeletal development

Discolouration of teeth

Question 30

What effect can sulphonamide have on a foetus?

Answer 30

Teratogenic, avoid in first trimester

Question 31

What effect can aminoglycosides have on a foetus?

Answer 31

Auditory or vestibular nerve damage