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Aim is to create awareness among the women of reproductive age group about the risks associated with consumption of drugs during pregnancy. More than 90% of pregnant women take prescription or non-prescription drugs at some time during pregnancy. In general, unless absolutely necessary, drugs should not be used during pregnancy because many of them are harmful to the fetus. Pregnancy introduces unique considerations for drug treatment due to its impact on the pharmacokinetics of medications and the potential harm certain drugs can pose to the fetus. While completely avoiding pharmacological treatment in pregnancy is impractical and risky, as some women have pre-existing medical conditions or develop new ones requiring medication, the challenge lies in balancing effective treatment with fetal safety. Historical incidents, such as thalidomide in the 1960s, highlighted the risks, but it’s crucial to note that congenital abnormalities from teratogenic drugs constitute less than 1% of total cases. To address these concerns, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established a system in 1979 for assessing the teratogenic risk of drugs. This classification, ranging from Category A (considered safest) to Category X (absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy), helps guide clinicians in making informed therapeutic decisions. The article delves into various aspects of drug use during pregnancy, emphasizing the importance of weighing risks and benefits to ensure optimal maternal health while safeguarding the developing fetus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) represent two different components of the spectrum of diabetes mellitus (DM). Women with GDM have a high chance of developing T2DM in later life and this relative risk depends on a number of factors including ethnicity. Aim: To compare and estimate the risk of developing T2DM in South Asian women with a history of GDM compared to those without a history of GDM. Methods: This is a systematic review of PubMed and MEDLINE articles reporting the progression of GDM to T2DM that were published in English from 2000 to 2020. We performed meta-analysis to calculate risk ratios (RR). Results: We selected 6 studies considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria after sorting 25 full-text articles. Of the 44165 South Asian women assessed, 3095 had GDM and 41070 were without GDM. 995 women in GDM group and 1525 women in non-GDM group had developed T2DM. The RR of women with GDM over non-GDM in developing T2DM was 10.81 (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.61–15.35) suggesting that women with GDM are at 10.81 times more risk of developing T2DM than non-GDM. The cumulative incidence of T2DM in GDM group was 17.34% at 5 years of follow-up and 33% at more than 10 years of follow-up. Conclusion: The risk of developing T2DM in later life is higher in South Asian women with GDM than without GDM. Therefore, lifestyle and pharmacological interventions, patient communication, timely screening, and long-term follow-up of GDM patients are important to reduce the risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]