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Reports on a Finnish study showing that live oral poliovirus vaccine taken during early pregnancy has no harmful effects on fetal development.

The Finnish Register of Congenital Malformations, established in 1963, rendered possible the study of changes in medication during pregnancy. The study consisted of 659 control mothers who had delivered a healthy child during the years 1964-1984. The data of this long-term follow-up study were collected by interviews at Maternal Health Care Centers after delivery and were completed by filed antenatal data. The results show a continuous decreasing trend in the usage of analgesics and tranquilizers but not in the usage of antiemetics, antibiotics, and vitamins. We believe that in Finland the publicity aimed at unnecessary medication during pregnancy has affected both the mothers and the health personnel.