PIH1 Pregnancy Outcomes After Maternal Exposure to Topical Corticosteroids: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Abstract

To investigate whether maternal exposure to topical corticosteroids results in adverse pregnancy outcomes. We used the UK Health Informatics Centre (HIC) Datasets to conduct a population-based retrospective cohort study. We identified 2645 women who were given a topical corticosteroid during the period from last menstrual period (LMP) to delivery and 7212 unexposed women matched for maternal age and the calendar year of pregnancy. We examined if there was an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes (including orofacial cleft, low birth weight, preterm delivery, and stillbirth) in the exposed group. No significant increase in adverse pregnancy outcomes (including orofacial cleft, low birth weight, preterm delivery, and stillbirth) was found in relation to maternal exposure to topical corticosteroid [adjusted risk ratio (RR) 1.85 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.22-15.20], 0.97 (95% CI 0.78-1.19), 1.14 (95% CI 0.70-1.86), and 1.04 (95% CI 0.55-1.98), respectively]. Stratified analyses based on the potency of topical corticosteroids did not substantially change the results. Neither did sensitivity analyses that included topical corticosteroids given up to 85 days before last menstrual period. Congruent with previous studies, the present study found no associations of maternal exposure to topical corticosteroids with orofacial cleft, preterm delivery and stillbirth. In contrast to two previous cohort studies, the present study did not find an association of low birth weight with maternal exposure to either potent or very potent topical corticosteroid. This, however, may be due to the limited sample size and the risk being small.