Proton-Pump Inhibitors During Pregnancy

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common complaint during pregnancy. Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) often are used to alleviate GERD symptoms, but data on the safety of PPIs during pregnancy are limited. To address this issue, investigators in Europe used data from eight European hospitals that were enrolled in a network that collected information about birth defects; they prospectively evaluated the effect of PPI therapy on the incidence of major fetal anomalies. Four hundred ten pregnant women who received PPIs (omeprazole, lansoprazole, or pantoprazole) were followed until delivery.

The rate of major anomalies in the exposed group did not differ significantly from that in a cohort of 868 nonexposed controls (3.4% and 3.8%). The i…