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Evidence summaries

Safety of Topical Corticosteroids in Pregnancy

Topical corticosteroids may possibly not be harmful in pregnancy for pregnancy outcomes. Level of evidence: "C"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 5 cohort and 9 case-control studies with a total of 1 601 515 subjects. There were no significant associations between topical corticosteroids of any potency and pregnancy outcomes including mode of delivery, congenital abnormality, orofacial cleft, preterm delivery, low birth weight, and stillbirth T1.

Topical corticosteroids compared with no topical corticosteroids for pregnant women

OutcomeRelative effect(95% CI)Assumed risk - Unexposed / control groupCorresponding risk - Interventon Exposed / case groupNo of Participants(studies)
Congenital abnormalityRR 0.82, 95% CI 0.34 to 1.96Cohort studies: 3.58%Cohort studies: 2.94%9 433 (1 cohort study)
Congenital abnormalityOR 1.07, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.60Case-control study: 0.17%Case-control study: 0.18%56 557 (1 case-control study)
Orofacial cleftRR 1.12, 95% CI 0.54 to 2.33Cohort studies: 0.10% to 0.16%Cohort studies: 0.13% to 0.21%40 605 (2 cohort studies)
Orifacial cleftOR 1.20, 95% CI 0.68 to 2.13Case-control studies: 0.19% to 18.75%Case-control studies: 0.04% to 1.72%641 917 (8 case-control studies)
Preterm deliveryRR 0.93, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.08Cohort studies: 0.76% to 6.40%Cohort studies: 0% to 6.61%59 419 (4 cohort studies)

References

  • Chi CC, Lee CW, Wojnarowska F, Kirtschig G. Safety of topical corticosteroids in pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009 Jul 8;(3):CD007346 [Assessed as up-to-date: 10 July 2015]. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords