Real‐World Trends in Prenatal Antirheumatic Drug Utilization in Ontario, Canada: A Cross‐Sectional Time‐Series Analysis
Authors' conclusion
Prenatal antirheumatic drug use has increased, particularly for biologic DMARDs.
Study context
- Population
- Pregnant individuals with RA, SLE, PsA and/or axSpA with Ontario Drug Benefit Program (ODB) coverage who delivered between April 1, 2006, and March 31, 2021, Ontario, Canada576 preconception and 697 prenatal ODB beneficiaries
- Participants
- 5,256 individuals
- Outcome
- Annual trends in preconception and prenatal DMARD use
Methodological detailstime-series analysis, repeated cross-sectional data, population-based (Ontario)
- Time-series analysis
- Repeated cross-sectional data
- Population-based (Ontario)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Preconception biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) use, increase (from 8.3 to 32.8 users per 100 eligible population; P = 0.004)
293.1%
Prenatal DMARD use, increase (P = 0.02)
5.7%
Prenatal biologic DMARD use, increase (from 3.6 to 31.3 users per 100 eligible population; P < 0.001)
775.0%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Proportion using DMARDs prenatally across annual cohorts (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019)
- Among DMARD users, single DMARD in 2019
- 32.9%
- Among DMARD users, two or more DMARDs, rose to (P = 0.02)
- 12.3%
- Nearly doubled, from 26.3% to 45.2% (P = 0.01)
Original publication
Real‐World Trends in Prenatal Antirheumatic Drug Utilization in Ontario, Canada: A Cross‐Sectional Time‐Series Analysis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published 12 May 2026. doi:10.
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