Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Pregnant Patients

Ther Drug Monit. 2020 Apr;42(2):172-180. doi: 10.1097/FTD.0000000000000709.

Abstract

During pregnancy, there are several physiological changes during each trimester that can affect the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of drugs. Although there is a potential need to understand the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in pregnant patients, therapeutic drug monitoring is not well established for various drug classes due to ethical and safety concerns regarding the neonate. Potential risks from in utero drug exposure to the fetus may impact growth and development and may cause malformations or teratogenesis. The clinician must consider the benefits of drug treatment for the pregnant mother versus the risk to the fetus, before prescribing medications during pregnancy. The objective of this review is to aid clinicians, pharmacists, and laboratorians in understanding the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes during pregnancy, to provide drug class recommendations for monitoring therapy throughout pregnancy via therapeutic drug monitoring, and to highlight the recent directives of governing agencies on maternal and fetal health.

MeSH terms

  • Antidepressive Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Clinical Trials as Topic / ethics
  • Drug Monitoring / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Maternal-Fetal Exchange / physiology
  • Pharmacogenetics / methods
  • Pregnancy
  • Prescription Drugs / adverse effects
  • Prescription Drugs / pharmacokinetics
  • Prescription Drugs / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Prescription Drugs