Objective To explore the prescribing patterns of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) before, during and after pregnancy in six European population-based databases.Design Descriptive drug utilisation study.Setting Six electronic healthcare databases in Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy (Emilia Romagna/Tuscany), Wales and the rest of the UK.Population All women with a pregnancy ending in a live or stillbirth starting and ending between 2004 and 2010.Methods A common protocol was implemented across databases to identify SSRI prescriptions issued (UK) or dispensed (non-UK) in the year before, during or in the year following pregnancy.Main outcome measures The percentage of deliveries in which the woman received an SSRI prescription in the year before, during or in the year following pregnancy. We also compared the choice of SSRIs and changes in prescribing over the study period.Results In total, 721 632 women and 862 943 deliveries were identified. In the year preceding pregnancy, the prevalence of SSRI prescribing was highest in Wales [9.6%; 95% confidence interval (CI 95 ), 9.4-9.8%] and lowest in Emilia Romagna (3.3%; CI 95 , 3.2-3.4%). During pregnancy, SSRI prescribing had dropped to between 1.2% (CI 95 , 1.1-1.3%) in Emilia Romagna and 4.5% (CI 95 , 4.3-4.6%) in Wales. The higher UK prepregnancy prescribing rates resulted in higher first trimester exposures. After pregnancy, SSRI prescribing increased most rapidly in the UK. Paroxetine was more commonly prescribed in the Netherlands and Italian regions than in Denmark and the UK.Conclusions The higher SSRI prescribing rates in the UK, compared with other European regions, raise questions about differences in the prevalence and severity of depression and its management in pregnancy across Europe.

In the absence of accurate information on the beginning or duration of pregnancy, several methods of varying complexity are available to estimate them. Validation studies have been performed for many of them and can serve as a guide for method selection for a particular study.

In a primary care-based incidence cohort of patients with PsA, there were substantial risks of developing uveitis and/or Crohn's disease, but not ulcerative colitis, when compared with the general population and psoriasis controls.

A similar distribution for the time interval between psoriasis and arthritis was observed in the CPRD and secondary care cohort. These data can inform screening strategies and support the validity of data from each cohort.

Purpose The aim of this study was to describe a number of electronic healthcare databases in Europe in terms of the population covered, the source of the data captured and the availability of data on key variables required for evaluating medicine use and medicine safety during pregnancy. Methods A sample of electronic healthcare databases that captured pregnancies and prescription data was selected on the basis of contacts within the EUROCAT network. For each participating database, a database inventory was completed. Results Eight databases were included, and the total population covered was 25 million. All databases recorded live births, seven captured stillbirths and five had full data available on spontaneous pregnancy losses and induced terminations. In six databases, data were usually available to determine the date of the woman's last menstrual period, whereas in the remainder, algorithms were needed to establish a best estimate for at least some pregnancies. In seven databases, it was possible to use data recorded in the databases to identify pregnancies where the offspring had a congenital anomaly. Information on confounding variables was more commonly available in databases capturing data recorded by primary-care practitioners. All databases captured maternal co-prescribing and a measure of socioeconomic status. Conclusion This study suggests that within Europe, electronic healthcare databases may be valuable sources of data for evaluating medicine use and safety during pregnancy. The suitability of a particular database, however, will depend on the research question, the type of medicine to be evaluated, the prevalence of its use and any adverse outcomes of interest.