Risk of intrauterine growth retardation, malformations and other birth outcomes in children after topical use of corticosteroid in pregnancy.

Background: Topical corticosteroids are frequently used drugs, but little is known of the exposure during pregnancy and birth outcome.

Methods: In a population-based follow-up study restricted to primigravida women, we examined the risk of low birth weight, malformations and other birth outcomes following pregnancy upon exposure to topical corticosteroids. We compared the offspring of 363 women exposed to topical corticosteroids during pregnancy with 9263 controls, who received no prescriptions at all.