ArticlePharmacoepidemiology and drug safety2025
Prevalence Trends and Patterns of Perinatal ADHD Stimulant Medication Use in British Columbia, Canada.
Article in Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Pregnancy and ADHD Medications: Is It Time for Clinical Guidelines?Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology · 2026Article
- Spatial inequalities and contextual correlates of methylphenidate dispensing in Jiangsu Province, China.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- Comparing Obstetrical Outcomes Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder: A Population-Based Studys.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Research advances and future directions in female ADHD: the lifelong interplay of hormonal fluctuations with mood, cognition, and disease.Frontiers in global women's health · 2025Review
- Data resource profile: PharmaNet, the database for prescription drug dispensing in British Columbia, Canada.International journal of population data science · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
Abstract
purposeGiven the increase in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses and stimulant medication use among female adults, this study describes the prevalence trends of perinatal ADHD stimulant medication use in British Columbia, Canada, along with characteristics and patterns of use.
methodsUsing linked population-based administrative data, we included all pregnant people with deliveries between January 2000 and December 2021. ADHD stimulant medication use was defined as filled prescriptions for dextro-/amphetamine, methylphenidate, or lisdexamfetamine. Prevalence trends were examined by medication type and age group. Characteristics were compared between those with and without prenatal stimulant medication dispensations. Patterns of use and discontinuation were assessed from 1 year preconception to 1 year postpartum.
resultsOur cohort included 899,679 pregnancies. Prenatal ADHD stimulant medication use increased by 3.9 users per 1000 pregnancies (from 0.4 to 4.3/1000), primarily driven by dextro-/amphetamine. Medication use increased among all age groups, but was highest among pregnant people under 20 years old. Pregnant people taking stimulant medications were more likely to be nulliparous and lower in income, have hypertension and higher BMI, smoke during pregnancy, use other psychotropic medications, and deliver by cesarean section. Among those who used stimulant medications within 1 year preconception, 77% discontinued treatment before or during pregnancy. While use increased again within 12 months postpartum, it remained 45% lower than preconception levels.
conclusionThe 11-fold increase in ADHD stimulant medication use during pregnancy and the high rate of discontinuation highlight the need for more research on the risks and benefits of medication for parent and child health.
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