MUMS: Information on the use of medicines during pregnancy

We believe that access to trusted information about the safety of medicines during pregnancy is a fundamental human right. One that is not currently being met. That’s why we’ve developed MUMS (Mothers Using Medicines Safely); a free-to-use, easy-to-understand, publicly accessible bank of reliable information about the use of medicines during pregnancy. The website has been launched in June 2024.

It’s been developed in conjunction with the European Network of Teratology Information Services, a global collaborative network of teratology information services and is targeted primarily at pregnant women in countries and languages that do not already have a trusted national online resource for this information. The information about the use of medicines in pregnancy is compiled from Teratology Information Services and other trusted sources, based on published scientific literature. The sources are independent of industry, to ensure there is no conflict of interest.

The content is:

• Easy to use: Users can search using drug name, drug category and disease, ensuring information can be accessed quickly and easily.
• Clear: Explanations use simple language and have a clear conclusion, allowing those needing the information to move forward with confidence.
• Consistent: Content is agreed by Teratology Information Service experts from countries within ENTIS, removing ambiguity and inconsistency.

About MUMS

All content has gone through a scientifically robust development and review process led by a working group of field experts who critically review the available knowledge and literature to assess its quality, validity, and relevance. This information is then used to make a balanced assessment of the possible benefits and risks of using the medication in pregnancy before being subject to final review by a panel of specialists. For translation from English to other languages, we local scientific experts who verify that the original text is correctly translated in local lay language.

The current prototype is just the start. In the summer of 2024 translations in Polish and Italian will follow. Our future aim is to develop it to become the primary, trusted,Europe-wide information source for pregnant and breastfeeding women, their families and healthcare professionals throughout Europe, complementing existing resources and available in all languages.