Mapping the Global Landscape of Pregnancy Healthcare Databases

The Asian Pharmacoepidemiology Network (AsPEN) recently endorsed a multinational collaborative study examining the landscape of pregnancy-related healthcare databases across the globe. Conducted by researchers from 15 countries and regions, the project characterized 19 large-scale databases used in perinatal pharmacoepidemiology research, including claims databases, electronic health records, and national registries.

The study sheds light on both the opportunities and challenges of conducting multinational research on medication safety and effectiveness during pregnancy. While many databases share important strengths, such as large population coverage and longitudinal follow-up, differences exist in pregnancy identification methods, mother-infant linkage, and the availability of outcomes such as miscarriage and stillbirth. These differences should be considered when designing or interpreting multi-database studies.

By systematically comparing database structures and pregnancy-specific data elements, this work is expected to provide an important resource for researchers planning international collaborative studies in maternal and child health. The findings also highlight the growing importance of collaborative real-world data approaches to generate robust evidence for populations historically underrepresented in clinical trials, including pregnant and breastfeeding women.

This project reflects AsPEN’s ongoing commitment to strengthening international collaboration in pharmacoepidemiology and advancing evidence generation across diverse healthcare settings. Findings from the study are currently under peer review.