Ongoing Studies: Providing Better Information on Medication Safety in Pregnancy
MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies provide much-needed information on medication and vaccine safety in pregnancy. Our studies are observational; people who are pregnant are not asked to take any medications or change their current treatments. We simply follow people who are pregnant who have – and who have not – taken a medication of interest until they deliver their baby, and then follow their babies for a period of time after birth. We collect information along the way that allows us to determine if the medication/vaccine may pose a risk to a pregnancy or a developing baby.
Did you know that 9 out of 10 people who are pregnant in the U.S. take medication, yet many medications currently don’t have enough information on how safe it is to use them during pregnancy?
Our MotherToBaby pregnancy studies research coordinated by UC San Diego’s Center for Better Beginnings has been instrumental in identifying previously unrecognized exposures that can be harmful to pregnancy, as well as ruling out substantial risk for other medications and vaccines. Our goal is to provide parents and their health providers with the evidence-based information that they need to make more informed healthcare decisions during pregnancy for the health of the person who is pregnant and their pregnancy. To do that, we need your help.
Find a MotherToBaby Pregnancy Study
Use the expandable accordion to browse our ongoing studies by health condition or by the name of the medication or vaccine.
Health Condition
Medication or Vaccine
A Strong Study Design for Strong Risk Prediction
We enroll three different groups of people who are pregnant into our studies, and it bears repeating that people who participate are not asked to take any medications or change their current treatments. Anyone who belongs to one of these groups could qualify to join our studies:
People with certain health conditions who have taken a medication or vaccine that we’re studying during pregnancy.
People who have the same health conditions as those in Group 1 but who have not taken the medication/vaccine of interest during pregnancy.
People who do not have the health condition being studied and who have not taken the medication/vaccine of interest during pregnancy.
We can then compare these three groups to determine if a person’s underlying health condition or their exposure to the medication/vaccine of interest may cause an increased risk for pregnancy or delivery complications or birth defects.
Help Us Find Answers to Common Questions
How can my health condition affect pregnancy?
People with health conditions can and do have healthy pregnancies. But some health conditions, especially if left untreated, could increase the chance for pregnancy complications. Our studies can help identify the risks associated with select health conditions, so that future parents-to-be and their health providers can better manage these risks.
How could the medication I take affect my pregnancy?”
When taken during pregnancy, many medications or other exposures may have no effect on (or could even have a benefit to) the pregnancy. But some medications may increase the chance of complications like miscarriage, preterm birth, or birth defects. Our observational studies look at both your health condition and the treatments that you take to learn about the safety and risks in all stages of pregnancy. Our research has been instrumental in identifying medications that may be harmful to pregnancy, as well as ruling out substantial risk for other medications.
Is my medication safe for my baby during pregnancy?
9 out of 10 people in the U.S. take a medication during pregnancy. Yet most medications don’t have enough information about their safety when used in pregnancy. With your participation in our observational research studies, we can provide the information that people and health providers need to make informed treatment decisions.
“Every person deserves to know if their health conditions or the medication they need to take could affect their baby during pregnancy. We are committed to bringing you better information for healthier outcomes.”
– Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH
Join a Study
People who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding deserve better information about medication safety – and you can help by participating in a study.
