BELpREG pregnancy registry in Belgium
from 07/11/2022
Sufficient information about the safety of medication during pregnancy is lacking for most available products. This is not surprising as pregnant women are mostly excluded from clinical studies due to ethical reasons. However, pregnant women may become sick and women with chronic illnesses become pregnant. Therefore, to acquire evidence on medication safety in pregnancy, the opportunities of utilizing real-worl data for research purposes should be maximally exploited. The BELpREG pregnancy registry, a unique citizen science research project in Belgium, wants to address the knowledge gap on medication safety in pregnancy by using real-world data registered by (pregnant) women.
All pregnant women (18+) understanding Dutch, French or English and living in Belgium can participate. Upon enrollment, participants receive a (short) digital questionnaire every 4 weeks until 8 weeks after delivery, and a questionnaire at 6 and 12 months after delivery. Pregnant women can enroll at any time in pregnancy, although it is preferred to start as early-on as possible in pregnancy. Participants do not need to use (chronic) medicines as sufficient "control" persons are also required.
The BELpREG questionnaires collect data on, for example, medication and health products' use and mother-infant health outcomes. The data are stored in a national database allowing researchers to perform (pharmacoepidemiologic) studies on the use and safety of medicines during pregnancy. In this way, participants will ensure that future pregnant women and children receive better care and advice.
Aim
BELpREG advocates for safe use of medication before, during and after pregnancy, and aims to generate new knowledge on medication safety in pregnancy.
Created March 11, 2024, 2:51 p.m.
Updated March 11, 2024, 8:16 p.m.
