Identifying Pregnancies in Population-Based Data Sources: Development and Application of the ConcePTION Pregnancy Algorithm

Identifying Pregnancies in Population-Based Data Sources: Development and Application of the ConcePTION Pregnancy Algorithm | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 9 July 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Identifying Pregnancies in Population-Based Data Sources: Development and Application of the ConcePTION Pregnancy Algorithm Authors : Limoncella Giorgio 0009-0008-3200-5654 [email protected] , Anna Girardi , Claudia Bartolini , Giulia Hyeraci , Giuseppe Roberto 0000-0001-6478-6442 , Olga Paoletti , Davide Messina , … Show All … , Felipe Villalobos , Bisacco Carlo Alberto , van den Berg Jesse , Houben Eline , Santacà Katia , Ylenia Ingrasciotta , Gianluca Trifirò , Giorgia Pellegrini , Ientile Valentina , Vjola Hoxhaj 0009-0007-2194-0818 , Carlos Durán 0000-0003-1853-3641 , Judit Riera-Arnau 0000-0001-7591-0218 , García-Poza Patricia , Mar Martín-Pérez , Ana LLorente García , Lucia Cea , Consuelo Huerta-Álvarez , Sánchez-Sáez Francisco , Gabriel Sanfélix-Gimeno , Clara Rodriguez-Bernal , Jérémy Jové , Marie-Agnès Bernard , Nicolas Thurin 0000-0003-3589-0819 , Sue Jordan , Thayer Daniel , Evans Hywel Turner , Coldea Alex-loan , Manfrini Marco , Marleen van Gelder 0000-0003-4853-4434 , Tari Michele , Romin Pajouheshnia 0000-0002-4208-3583 , Ana Sofia Afonso , Maryline NOAN-LAINE LE , Ditte Molgaard-Nielsen , Marianne Cunnington , Caitlin Dodd , Grilli Leonardo , Constanza L. Andaur Navarro 0000-0002-7745-2887 , Miriam Sturkenboom , Hedvig Nordeng 0000-0001-6361-2918 , and Rosa Gini 0000-0002-6250-877X Show Fewer Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175205384.49458737/v1 515 views 208 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Purpose. In 2019, the Innovative Medicines Initiative funded the ConcePTION project to enhance monitoring of medication safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding. This paper describes how the ConcePTION Pregnancy Algorithm (PA) identified pregnancies in 10 diverse European electronic healthcare data sources and estimated their duration. Methods. Data sources from six European countries were mapped to the ConcePTION Common Data Model. Any pregnancy-related record was retrieved from various available data banks, including birth register, primary care records, and hospital records, and reconciled into episodes of pregnancy (starting between 01/2015 and 12/2019), each with start date, end date, and type of end. A random forest model was used to estimate missing gestational ages for incomplete records. Parameters were tailored to data sources to address local variations in data availability, collection, and governance. Model performance was evaluated using cross-validated Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE). Results. The PA identified ~ 2.7 million pregnancies, in over 2.2 million individuals. Most ended in live births (50%-83%), 1%-15% in elective terminations, and 4%-10% in spontaneous abortions, depending on data sources. Pregnancies with unknown type of end were also retrieved (2%-34%). Gestational age was predicted for 6%-89% of records (RMSE: 17-50 days). The median gestational age at first identified pregnancy record ranged from 47 to 280 days. Conclusions . We developed an open-source algorithm to identify and date pregnancies, including early-stage pregnancies with unknown end and/or ongoing at the time of data extraction. This algorithm may facilitate multinational studies, improving generation of timely real-world evidence about use and safety of medicinal products in pregnancy. Supplementary Material File (pds-25-0526-file001.docx) Download 594.77 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 09 July 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords conception pregnancy algorithm diversity in data sources early pregnancy detection multi-database study pregnancy random forest Authors Affiliations Limoncella Giorgio 0009-0008-3200-5654 [email protected] Universita degli Studi di Pisa Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale View all articles by this author Anna Girardi Agenzia Regionale di Sanita della Toscana View all articles by this author Claudia Bartolini Agenzia Regionale di Sanita della Toscana View all articles by this author Giulia Hyeraci Agenzia Regionale di Sanita della Toscana View all articles by this author Giuseppe Roberto 0000-0001-6478-6442 Agenzia Regionale di Sanita della Toscana View all articles by this author Olga Paoletti Agenzia Regionale di Sanita della Toscana View all articles by this author Davide Messina Agenzia Regionale di Sanita della Toscana View all articles by this author Felipe Villalobos Institut de Recerca en Atencio Primaria Jordi Gol View all articles by this author Bisacco Carlo Alberto Institut de Recerca en Atencio Primaria Jordi Gol View all articles by this author van den Berg Jesse PHARMO Institute View all articles by this author Houben Eline PHARMO Institute View all articles by this author Santacà Katia Universita degli Studi di Verona Dipartimento di Diagnostica e Sanita Pubblica View all articles by this author Ylenia Ingrasciotta Universita degli Studi di Verona Dipartimento di Diagnostica e Sanita Pubblica View all articles by this author Gianluca Trifirò Universita degli Studi di Verona Dipartimento di Diagnostica e Sanita Pubblica View all articles by this author Giorgia Pellegrini Universita degli Studi di Verona Dipartimento di Diagnostica e Sanita Pubblica View all articles by this author Ientile Valentina Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare View all articles by this author Vjola Hoxhaj 0009-0007-2194-0818 Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht View all articles by this author Carlos Durán 0000-0003-1853-3641 Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht View all articles by this author Judit Riera-Arnau 0000-0001-7591-0218 Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht View all articles by this author García-Poza Patricia Agencia Espanola de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios View all articles by this author Mar Martín-Pérez Agencia Espanola de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios View all articles by this author Ana LLorente García Agencia Espanola de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios View all articles by this author Lucia Cea Universidad Complutense de Madrid View all articles by this author Consuelo Huerta-Álvarez Universidad Complutense de Madrid View all articles by this author Sánchez-Sáez Francisco Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of Valencia Region View all articles by this author Gabriel Sanfélix-Gimeno Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of Valencia Region View all articles by this author Clara Rodriguez-Bernal Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of Valencia Region View all articles by this author Jérémy Jové INSERM CIC-P 1401 Université de Bordeaux View all articles by this author Marie-Agnès Bernard INSERM CIC-P 1401 Université de Bordeaux View all articles by this author Nicolas Thurin 0000-0003-3589-0819 INSERM CIC-P 1401 Université de Bordeaux View all articles by this author Sue Jordan Swansea University View all articles by this author Thayer Daniel Swansea University View all articles by this author Evans Hywel Turner Swansea University View all articles by this author Coldea Alex-loan Swansea University View all articles by this author Manfrini Marco Ferrara University View all articles by this author Marleen van Gelder 0000-0003-4853-4434 Universitetet i Oslo View all articles by this author Tari Michele Azienda Sanitaria Locale Caserta View all articles by this author Romin Pajouheshnia 0000-0002-4208-3583 RTI Health Solutions Barcelona View all articles by this author Ana Sofia Afonso Lilly Nederland BV View all articles by this author Maryline NOAN-LAINE LE Eli Lilly Cork Limited View all articles by this author Ditte Molgaard-Nielsen Novo Nordisk A/S View all articles by this author Marianne Cunnington Analysis Group Inc View all articles by this author Caitlin Dodd Panalgo View all articles by this author Grilli Leonardo Universita degli Studi di Firenze Dipartimento di Statistica Informatica Applicazioni Giuseppe Parenti View all articles by this author Constanza L. Andaur Navarro 0000-0002-7745-2887 Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht View all articles by this author Miriam Sturkenboom Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht View all articles by this author Hedvig Nordeng 0000-0001-6361-2918 Universitetet i Oslo View all articles by this author Rosa Gini 0000-0002-6250-877X Agenzia Regionale di Sanita della Toscana View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 515 views 208 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Limoncella Giorgio, Anna Girardi, Claudia Bartolini, et al. Identifying Pregnancies in Population-Based Data Sources: Development and Application of the ConcePTION Pregnancy Algorithm. Authorea . 09 July 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175205384.49458737/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); Cited by Miyuki Koizumi, Hiroki Nakajima, Yuichi Nishioka, Emiri Morita, Tomoya Myojin, Tatsuya Noda, Tomoaki Imamura, Yutaka Takahashi, Appropriate definition of childbirth using Japanese administrative database: a cross-sectional cohort validation study, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 26 , 1, (2026). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-026-08797-9 Crossref Loading... 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