BELLADONNA

Fetal Risk Summary

Belladonna is an anticholinergic agent. The Collaborative Perinatal Project monitored 50,282 mother-child pairs, 554 of which used belladonna in the 1st trimester (1, pp. 346–353). Belladonna was found to be associated with malformations in general and with minor malformations. Specifically, increased risks (standardized relative risk greater than 1.5) were observed for respiratory tract anomalies, hypospadias, and eye and ear malformations. The association between belladonna and eye and ear malformations was statistically significant. Interpretation of these data is difficult, however, because the authors of the study emphasized that even though some agents had elevated risks and significant associations did occur, a cause-and-effect relationship could not be inferred. For use anytime during pregnancy, 1,355 exposures were recorded (1, p. 439). No association was found in this group.

Breast Feeding Summary

See Atropine.

Reference