Antidiabetic Medication Uses Among Pregnant Women: Real-World Prescription Pattern in South Korea
Author(s)
Minseol Jang, PharmD1, Miryoung Kim, RPh, MCP, PhD1, Hae Sun Suh, RPh, MPharm, MA, PhD2;
1Kyung Hee University, Department of Regulatory Science, Graduate School, Seoul, Korea, Republic of, 2Kyung Hee University, College of Pharmacy, Seoul, Korea, Republic of
1Kyung Hee University, Department of Regulatory Science, Graduate School, Seoul, Korea, Republic of, 2Kyung Hee University, College of Pharmacy, Seoul, Korea, Republic of
Presentation Documents
OBJECTIVES: Elevated glucose levels are a common condition during pregnancy, often requiring antidiabetic medications to manage blood sugar. As the use of medications during pregnancy may have significant impact on maternal and fetal health, insulin is recommended as the primary medication during pregnancy. This study aimed to examine trends and patterns of antidiabetic medication use in South Korea and assess their adherence to clinical guidelines.
METHODS: This population-based cohort study utilized data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Information Database of South Korea (2016-2022). A total of 517,317 mothers aged 19 to 44 years who gave birth between 2018 and 2021 were identified and women prescribed antidiabetic medications before or during pregnancy were included. Prescription trends were categorized into pre-conception, during pregnancy, and post-conception periods.
RESULTS: Of the 517,317 pregnancies, 7,932 (1.48%) and 13,493 (2.52%) were exposed to antidiabetic medication during pre-conception and pregnancy, respectively. The average maternal age was 34.8 years (Standard deviation: 4.2). Antidiabetic medication prescriptions increased 1.5-fold from 2018 to 2021. insulin accounted for 60.0% of prescriptions, rising 4.6-fold compared to pre-conception use. In the second and third trimesters, insulin use dominated (95.7% and 97.7%, respectively). Among oral medications, metformin was the most prescribed (27.2%) in the first trimester, followed by thiazolidinediones (8.12%), sulfonylureas (4.75%) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (3.00%). Oral antidiabetic medication use declined in later trimesters, dropping to approximately 0.01-fold. The trends observed aligned with clinical guidelines.
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the real-world prescription patterns of antidiabetic medication in pregnant women of South Korea. The findings show an increased use of antidiabetic drugs during pregnancy. There was a notable shift toward safer options in later pregnancy stages, aligning with clinical guidelines to ensure optimal maternal and fetal outcomes. Further studies are needed to explore long-term outcomes and barriers to guideline adherence.
METHODS: This population-based cohort study utilized data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Information Database of South Korea (2016-2022). A total of 517,317 mothers aged 19 to 44 years who gave birth between 2018 and 2021 were identified and women prescribed antidiabetic medications before or during pregnancy were included. Prescription trends were categorized into pre-conception, during pregnancy, and post-conception periods.
RESULTS: Of the 517,317 pregnancies, 7,932 (1.48%) and 13,493 (2.52%) were exposed to antidiabetic medication during pre-conception and pregnancy, respectively. The average maternal age was 34.8 years (Standard deviation: 4.2). Antidiabetic medication prescriptions increased 1.5-fold from 2018 to 2021. insulin accounted for 60.0% of prescriptions, rising 4.6-fold compared to pre-conception use. In the second and third trimesters, insulin use dominated (95.7% and 97.7%, respectively). Among oral medications, metformin was the most prescribed (27.2%) in the first trimester, followed by thiazolidinediones (8.12%), sulfonylureas (4.75%) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (3.00%). Oral antidiabetic medication use declined in later trimesters, dropping to approximately 0.01-fold. The trends observed aligned with clinical guidelines.
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the real-world prescription patterns of antidiabetic medication in pregnant women of South Korea. The findings show an increased use of antidiabetic drugs during pregnancy. There was a notable shift toward safer options in later pregnancy stages, aligning with clinical guidelines to ensure optimal maternal and fetal outcomes. Further studies are needed to explore long-term outcomes and barriers to guideline adherence.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-05, ISPOR 2025, Montréal, Quebec, CA
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S1
Code
EPH66
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health
Topic Subcategory
Public Health
Disease
SDC: Diabetes/Endocrine/Metabolic Disorders (including obesity)