MHRA drug safety updates

Medication in pregnancy

• Following reports on the safety of valproate in pregnancy, the Commission on Human Medicines confirmed in January that lamotrigine and levetiracetam are the safer of the medicines reviewed during pregnancy. This information should be used when discussing epilepsy treatment options both at annual reviews and with women planning to become pregnant. 
• A partnership of 16 leading organisations has established a Safer Medicines in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Consortium to improve the medicines health information available to women who are thinking about becoming pregnant, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Look out for reports from this group. Pharmacists can also help by reporting inconsistencies in UK advice on individual medicines or classes of medicines used in pregnancy or breastfeeding via the address on the consortium's webpage.
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors/serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSRI/SNRI): Data from observational studies suggest that taking these antidepressants during the month before delivery may result in a small increased risk of postpartum haemorrhage. This risk needs to be considered when reviewing a patient’s bleeding and thrombotic risk assessment during the six weeks after birth and balanced with the patient’s mental health.