Evidence - based Teratogenic Risk Counseling in Pregnant Women Exposed to Medication or Diagnostic Radiation During the First Trimester

Objective : To evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based teratogenic risk counseling by relevant medical literature concerning pregnant women exposed to medication or diagnostic radiation during the first trimester. Methods : Between January 2001 and April 2001, 67 pregnant women exposed to medication or diagnostic radiation visited our clinic for teratogenic risk counseling. We counseld the teratogenic risk of their fetus by relevant medical literature.Also, We measured the score to terminate pregnancy and the perceptive risk on their fetus with major congenital anomaly using 10cm visual analogue scale. Results : None of them were exposed to any known teratogenic drugs or radiation in any teratogenic doses. Other physicians had already recommended, to about a third of patients, pregnancy termination. Their perceptive estimation on the risk of major congenital malformation in the general population was 4.61.1%. The perceptive risk on their fetus with major congenital anomaly decreased from 39.53.1% before consultation to 10.81.6% thereafter (P2.7 before consultation and 9.11.6 thereafter. Their tendency to terminate pregnancy significantly decreased after consultation (P