OBJECTIVES: to study practice of medicines prescribing, assess frequency of application of parapharmaceutical products by pregnant women, examine dynamics of pharmacotheraputical preferences during pregnancy for the period 2008 - 2018.

METHODS: second pharmacoepidemiological research "Drugs and Pregnancy" was conducted in the Republic of Belarus using special questionares. Pregnant women and doctors were interviewed separately in Minsk between 2017 and 2018. Survey was carried out in two general sections: personal information and different classes of drugs used according to trimester. ATC classification and FDA, USA classification of risk of using medicines during pregnancy were used. Frequency analysis, DU 90% -analysis were used. The results of this study were compared with the results of the 2008 study.

RESULTS: study involved 293 pregnant women and 61 doctors: 75.4% - obstetrician-gynecologists, 7% - physicians, 17.6% - other specialists. The work experience was 14.5 years (from 1 year to 40 years). We identified doctors' preferences in choosing antiviral, antiallergic, iron and iodine, anti-inflammatory, venotonic drugs, anticoagulants, as well as the most frequently prescribed drugs for coughing, runny nose, bronchopulmonary diseases, urogenital infections, insomnia. Pregnant women indicated drugs that were prescribed by doctors. 265 (90.4%) of pregnant women took all drugs prescribed by a doctor. Reasons for not taking drugs were: many drugs, high cost, possible side effects, influence on the child fear. 24.5% women take their own medications without consulting a doctor.

CONCLUSIONS: during pregnancy, a significant proportion of the women take different medications. Practical application of the results of pharmacoepidemiological monitoring can be used in the development of educational programs, in monitoring the optimal use of drugs and in identifying options for the irrational use of resources to the improve quality of treatment for extragenital pathology in pregnant women.