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Am J Perinatol 2002; 19(6): 311-316
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-34469
Copyright © 2002 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel.: +1(212) 584-4662

Metoclopramide for Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy: A Prospective Multicenter International Study

Matitiahu Berkovitch1 , Paul Mazzota2 , Revital Greenberg1 , Daniel  Elbirt1 , Antony Addis3 , Lavinia Schuler-Faccini4 , Paul Merlob5 , Judy Arnon6 , Bracha Stahl5 , Laura Magee2 , Myla Moretti2 , Asher Ornoy6
  • 1Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
  • 2Motherisk Program, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
  • 3Regional Drug Information Center (CRIF), Laboratory for Mother and Child Health, instituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche ``Mario Negri'' Milan, Italy
  • 4Genetics Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
  • 5Department of Neonatology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tikva, Israel
  • 6Israeli Teratogen Information Service, Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
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Publication History

Publication Date:
01 October 2002 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Nausea and vomiting are very common during pregnancy, mainly throughout the first trimester. Metoclopramide is a dopamine receptor blocking drug that is commonly used to treat nausea and vomiting. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the effect on the fetus of intrauterine exposure to metoclopramide. One hundred and seventy-five women who received metoclopramide and consulted 6 teratogen information centers in Israel, Italy, Brazil, and Canada were studied. Women exposed to metoclopramide were paired for age, smoking and alcohol consumption habits with women exposed to nonteratogens. Women in the metoclopramide group had a significantly higher rate of premature births (8.1%) as compared with the control group (2.4%) (p = 0.02, relative risk = 3.37, 95% confidence interval 1.12-10.12). Rates of major malformations in the metoclopramide group (4.4%) did not differ from controls (4.8%) (p = 0.84, relative risk = 0.91, 95% confidence interval 0.34-2.45). According to our findings, metoclopramide use during the first trimester of pregnancy does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of malformations, spontaneous abortions, or decreased birth weight, however, larger studies are needed to confirm these observations.

KEYWORDS

Metoclopramide - nausea - vomiting - pregnancy

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