Abstract
Background: Sub-optimal medication adherence in pregnant women with chronic disease and pregnancy-related indications has the potential to adversely affect maternal and perinatal outcomes. Adherence to appropriate medications is advocated during and when planning pregnancy to reduce risk of adverse perinatal outcomes relating to chronic disease and pregnancy-related indications. We aimed to systematically identify effective interventions to promote medication adherence in women who are pregnant or planning to conceive and impact on perinatal, maternal disease-related and adherence outcomes. Methods: Six bibliographic databases and two trial registries were searched from inception to 28th April 2022. We included quantitative studies evaluating medication adherence interventions in pregnant women and women planning pregnancy. Two reviewers selected studies and extracted data on study characteristics, outcomes, effectiveness, intervention description (TIDieR) and risk of bias (EPOC). Narrative synthesis was performed due to study population, intervention and outcome heterogeneity. Results: Of 5614 citations, 13 were included. Five were RCTs, and eight non-randomised comparative studies. Participants had asthma (n = 2), HIV (n = 6), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; n = 2), diabetes (n = 2) and risk of pre-eclampsia (n = 1). Interventions included education +/− counselling, financial incentives, text messaging, action plans, structured discussion and psychosocial support. One RCT found an effect of the tested intervention on self-reported antiretroviral adherence but not objective adherence. Clinical outcomes were not evaluated. Seven non-randomised comparative studies found an association between the tested intervention and at least one outcome of interest: four found an association between receiving the intervention and both improved clinical or perinatal outcomes and adherence in women with IBD, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and asthma. One study in women with IBD reported an association between receiving the intervention and maternal outcomes but not for self-reported adherence. Two studies measured only adherence outcomes and reported an association between receiving the intervention and self-reported and/or objective adherence in women with HIV and risk of pre-eclampsia. All studies had high or unclear risk of bias. Intervention reporting was adequate for replication in two studies according to the TIDieR checklist. Conclusions: There is a need for high-quality RCTs reporting replicable interventions to evaluate medication adherence interventions in pregnant women and those planning pregnancy. These should assess both clinical and adherence outcomes.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 135 |
Number of pages | 21 |
Journal | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2 Mar 2023 |
Data Availability Statement
The dataset used and analysed during the current study are available from thecorresponding author on reasonable request.
Funding
This study was supported by a David Telling Trust Research Grant (no reference provided by funder). AF is supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research or the Department of Health.
Keywords
- Adherence
- Chronic disease
- Maternal medicine
- Medication
- Perinatal outcomes
- Systematic review
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology