(209) Evaluating Awareness of Pregnancy Exposure Registries Among Women

Publication Number: 540

Background: Pregnancy registries evaluate the safety of pharmaceutical product use during pregnancy. They assess the impact of pregnancy exposures on the outcomes of pregnant people, fetuses, and infants. These vulnerable populations are generally excluded from traditional clinical trials; therefore, the knowledge gained from pregnancy registries contributes to the health and well-being of pregnant people and their offspring. Despite their value, enrollment in these studies can be a challenge.

Objectives: To evaluate (1) pregnant people’s knowledge of pregnancy registries, and (2) the extent to which social media advertisements can inspire interest in pregnancy registry participation.

Methods: A 20 question survey was released on Facebook that targeted various private, United States-based parenting groups. The survey was available for 14 days in February 2021. Results were analyzed descriptively.

Results: A total of 465 surveys were completed. Of those who completed a survey, 21% were currently pregnant, 77% were previously pregnant, and 2% had never been pregnant but intended to become pregnant. Of those who were currently or previously pregnant, 94% reported using OTC medications and 39% reported using prescription medications during pregnancy. Nearly all participants who completed a survey (95%) indicated that they had never heard of a pregnancy registry, and 100% reported that they had never been recruited for a pregnancy registry. Three-quarters (75%) of participants reported that they would be extremely or somewhat likely to participate in a pregnancy registry. Of these participants, 62% reported that they would be influenced to participate if they saw an advertisement on a social media platform. All participants reported use of at least one social media platform, with Facebook being the most reported (75%).

Conclusions: Pregnancy registries are valuable tools in defining the risk/benefit of using pharmaceutical treatments during pregnancy. This study demonstrated that most women, including those who use prescription medications during pregnancy, are not aware of the existence of pregnancy registries. Survey responses also support the hypothesis that use of social media advertisements could positively impact pregnancy registry recruitment.