Drugs and pregnancy

The Drugs and Pregnancy project was originally launched at the beginning of 2008 as a joint project of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea) and the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela). The joint project was preceded by a pilot study in 2003-2007. THL continues to monitor drug utilization and pharmacovigilance in pregnancy as its own activity in 2023 onwards.

Its goal is to secure safe medical drug use during pregnancy

The aim of the project is to determine the following aspects of drug use during pregnancy:

• Its extent and quantity
• Its effects on the progress of pregnancy and newborn health
• Its effects on the prevalence of major malformations

Implementation

The project data are based on information obtained from national health registers:

• Medical Birth Register (THL)
• Register on Induced Abortions (THL)
• Register of Congenital Malformations (THL)
• Prescription Register (Kela)
• Special Refund Entitlement Register (Kela)