September 2020
/Pregnancy outcomes after exposure to interferon beta
Ther Adv Neurol Disord 13 (2020)
This register-based cohort study from Finland and Sweden looked at pregnancy outcomes for women with MS. The prevalence of adverse outcomes including major congenital malformations, spontaneous abortions, and stillbirths was not increased with interferon beta exposure.
Safety of vedolizumab
Therap Adv Gastroenterol 13 (2020)
Handy updated literature review of vedolizumab use in irritable bowel syndrome finding no evidence of safety concerns during pregnancy but caution still needed to limited research.
In a similar vein, a recent meta-analysis of thiopurines use in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease was also recently published. This study found a significantly increased risk of preterm birth in the thiopurine-exposed group compared to IBD controls (RR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.00-1.79; p=0.049; I 2 =41%). Other outcomes, congenital malformations, low birth weight, or spontaneous abortion, were not different.
Maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with biologic exposure before and during pregnancy in women with inflammatory systemic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
Rheumatology, Volume 59, August 2020, 1808–1817,
A recent meta-analysis of 24 studies of biologic use during pregnancy found the following : congenital anomalies (1.30, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.67), preterm birth (OR 1.61, 95% CI: 1.37, 1.89), and low birth weight (OR 1.68, 95% CI: 1.21, 2.31). However, when disease-matched exposed and unexposed pregnant women were compared there was no longer statistically significant for congenital anomalies (adjusted OR 1.18, 95% CI: 0.88, 1.57), suggesting that increased rates of adverse outcomes may be due to disease activity itself or other confounders.