Prescribing in pregnancy. Identifying abnormalities.

Drugs taken during pregnancy create concern whether they are self administered or medically prescribed. The number of mothers who take drugs during pregnancy is not known, but a survey in the United States showed that about 45% of women may use at least one drug on prescription, and many more use drugs bought over the counter.' A recent prospective study in the United Kingdom, however, suggested that only about 10% of women took drugs in early pregnancy.2