The Maternal-Fetal Pharmacology Research Program was established to investigate obstetric questions in high risk pregnancies. The rodent neurobehavioral development laboratory emphasis is on the evaluation of commonly used drugs for functional impairments in offspring after therapeutic prenatal exposure.
Drugs being investigated include digoxin and corticosteroids.
The clinical research emphasis has been on prostaglandin E2 for cervical ripening and induction of labor. Other clinical studies during pregnancy have included antacids and Zantac for control of heartburn and abdominal support for lower back pain. Placebo-controlled comparison between a single dose and a multidose of betamethasone in accelerating lung maturation of mice offspring. Rayburn W, Liles E, Christensen HD and Robinson M. Antacids versus antacids plus nonprescription ranitidine for heartburn during pregnancy. Beaty CM, Bhaktaram VJ, Parker MJ, Christensen, HD, Rayburn WF and Chandrasekaran K. Acute hemodynamic effects from an abdominal support for low backache during pregnancy.